Section C: Careful Reading
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
The Future of Rural Areas: Reversing the Urban Migration Trend
For decades, the narrative surrounding rural areas has been one of decline. Young people leave for cities in search of better education and employment, leaving behind aging populations and shrinking communities. The phenomenon of rural depopulation has been observed across the developed world, from the rolling hills of Japan's countryside to the farming communities of the American Midwest. Governments have poured resources into revitalization programs with limited success.
However, recent trends suggest a potential reversal of this pattern. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift that was already underway: the rise of remote work. Technology has enabled millions of professionals to perform their jobs from virtually anywhere, freeing them from the necessity of commuting to urban office buildings. This newfound flexibility has prompted many to reconsider where they want to live.
For a growing number of workers, rural areas offer an attractive package: lower costs of housing and living, access to nature, cleaner air, and stronger community ties. A software engineer earning a city salary while living in a small town can enjoy a dramatically improved quality of life. The savings on housing alone can be transformative, allowing families to purchase homes that would be unattainable in major metropolitan areas.
The revival of rural communities is not automatic, however. It requires significant investment in broadband internet infrastructure. Without reliable high-speed connectivity, remote workers cannot function, and the promise of rural revitalization remains unrealized. Several countries have launched ambitious programs to expand fiber-optic networks into the countryside, recognizing that digital connectivity is as essential today as electricity was in the 20th century.
Beyond infrastructure, economic diversification is crucial. Modern rural economies can no longer rely solely on agriculture. Tourism, renewable energy, and small-scale manufacturing are emerging as viable sectors offering new employment opportunities. Some regions have successfully positioned themselves as innovation hubs, attracting entrepreneurs seeking an alternative to the high costs and congestion of cities like Silicon Valley. The future of rural areas may depend on their ability to embrace change while preserving the qualities that make them unique and desirable.
46. What has been the traditional view of rural areas in recent decades?
47. What role did the pandemic play in rural migration trends?
48. According to the passage, what makes rural areas attractive to professionals?
49. What is identified as essential for rural revitalization?
50. What does the author suggest about rural economic futures?
Passage Two
The Science of Aesthetic Taste: Nature vs. Nurture
Is beauty truly in the eye of the beholder, or are there objective standards for what we find pleasing? This ancient philosophical question has been the subject of renewed scientific inquiry, and recent research suggests a more nuanced answer than either extreme position offers. While individual and cultural variations in taste are undeniable, certain aesthetic principles appear to be remarkably universal.
Neuroscientists have discovered that the human brain responds to visual harmony in predictable ways. Studies using brain imaging technology reveal that when people view images considered beautiful — whether a landscape painting, a mathematical formula, or a human face — similar neural networks are activated across diverse populations. Symmetry, balance, and proportion consistently emerge as qualities that the human brain finds inherently pleasing.
At the same time, sociologists emphasize the powerful role of cultural conditioning. What is considered beautiful in one society may be unremarkable or even unattractive in another. The elaborate tattoos of the Maori, the stretched necks of the Kayan people, and the bound feet of imperial China all represent culturally specific notions of beauty that may seem strange to outsiders. Our tastes are undeniably shaped by the social and historical context in which we are raised.
The interplay between biology and culture in shaping aesthetic taste is more complex than a simple nature-versus-nurture debate. Research suggests that while our brains are wired to appreciate certain fundamental patterns, culture determines how these innate preferences are expressed and refined. A Japanese tea ceremony and a Gothic cathedral may look entirely different, yet both achieve a sense of harmony and proportion that resonates at a deep biological level.
Understanding the biology of aesthetic experience has practical implications. Architects and designers can apply these universal principles to create more pleasant environments, from hospital rooms that promote healing to classrooms that enhance learning. At the same time, recognizing the cultural dimension of taste reminds us to approach unfamiliar aesthetic traditions with humility and curiosity rather than judgment. The science of beauty, far from reducing art to formulas, enriches our appreciation of the remarkable ways humans create and experience beauty.
51. What question does the passage primarily address?
52. What have neuroscientists discovered about the perception of beauty?
53. What do sociologists emphasize regarding aesthetic taste?
54. What practical application does the research on aesthetic biology have?
55. What is the author's overall conclusion about the science of beauty?
Answers & Explanations
Passage One
46. A。解析：第一段指出 "the narrative surrounding rural areas has been one of decline... rural depopulation"，传统观点认为农村人口在减少。
47. C。解析：第二段指出 "The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift that was already underway: the rise of remote work"，疫情加速了远程办公的转变。
48. B。解析：第三段列举 "lower costs of housing and living, access to nature, cleaner air" 等吸引力因素。
49. D。解析：第四段强调 "reliable high-speed connectivity" 对农村振兴至关重要。
50. A。解析：第五段说 "economic diversification is crucial... can no longer rely solely on agriculture"，主张多元化发展。
Passage Two
51. D。解析：第一段直接提出核心问题 "Is beauty truly in the eye of the beholder, or are there objective standards?"
52. B。解析：第二段指出 "similar neural networks are activated across diverse populations"。
53. C。解析：第三段指出社会学家强调 "the powerful role of cultural conditioning"。
54. A。解析：第五段举例 "hospital rooms that promote healing... classrooms that enhance learning"。
55. D。解析：末句 "enriches our appreciation of the remarkable ways humans create and experience beauty"。
全文翻译
几十年来，围绕农村地区的叙事一直以衰败为主题。年轻人离开家乡前往城市寻求更好的教育和就业机会，留下了日益老龄化的人口和日益萎缩的社区。农村人口减少的现象在发达国家普遍存在，从日本起伏的乡村山丘到美国中西部的农业社区皆是如此。各国政府投入了大量资源用于振兴项目，但成效有限。
然而，最近的趋势表明这种模式可能正在逆转。新冠疫情加速了已经在进行中的转变：远程办公的兴起。技术使数百万专业人士几乎可以在任何地方完成工作，将他们从通勤到城市办公室的必要性中解放出来。这种新获得的灵活性促使许多人重新思考他们想要在哪里生活。
对于越来越多的劳动者来说，农村地区提供了具有吸引力的组合：更低的住房和生活成本，亲近自然，更清洁的空气，以及更强的社区纽带。一位拿着城市工资却生活在小镇的软件工程师可以享受到显著改善的生活质量。仅在住房上省下的钱就足以带来变革性的改变，让家庭能够购买在大城市地区无法企及的住房。
然而，农村社区的复兴并非自动实现的。它需要对宽带互联网基础设施进行大量投资。没有可靠的高速连接，远程工作者就无法工作，农村振兴的承诺也就无法兑现。一些国家已经启动了雄心勃勃的项目，将光纤网络扩展到乡村，认识到数字连接在今天的重要性就像电力在20世纪一样。
除了基础设施，经济多元化也至关重要。现代农村经济不能再仅仅依赖农业。旅游业、可再生能源和小型制造业正成为提供新就业机会的可行行业。一些地区已成功定位为创新中心，吸引寻求替代硅谷等高成本、拥堵城市的企业家。农村地区的未来可能取决于它们拥抱变化的能力，同时保留使其独特和令人向往的品质。
全文翻译
美真的只存在于观者的眼中吗？还是我们对愉悦之感的认知存在客观标准？这个古老的哲学问题已成为科学重新探究的对象，最近的研究给出了一个比两种极端立场都更微妙的答案。虽然品味中的个体差异和文化差异不可否认，但某些审美原则似乎具有惊人的普遍性。
神经科学家发现，人类大脑以可预测的方式对视觉和谐做出反应。使用脑成像技术的研究表明，当人们观看被认为美的事物——无论是风景画、数学公式还是人脸——不同人群中被激活的神经网络是相似的。对称、平衡和比例始终是大脑天生就觉得愉悦的品质。
与此同时，社会学家强调文化条件作用的强大角色。在一个社会中被认为美的东西，在另一个社会中可能平淡无奇，甚至被认为不具吸引力。毛利人的精美纹身、克伦族的长颈和帝制中国的缠足，都代表了文化特定的美观念，对于外人来说可能显得奇特。我们的品味无疑受到我们所成长的社会和历史环境的塑造。
生物学和文化在塑造审美品味中的相互作用，比简单的先天与后天之争更为复杂。研究表明，虽然我们的大脑天生倾向于欣赏某些基本模式，但文化决定了这些天生偏好如何被表达和提炼。日本的茶道和哥特式大教堂看起来可能完全不同，但两者都达到了一种在深层生物层面上产生共鸣的和谐与比例感。
理解审美体验的生物学原理具有实际意义。建筑师和设计师可以运用这些普遍原则来创造更宜人的环境，从促进康复的病房到提高学习效率的教室。同时，认识到品味的文化维度，提醒我们以谦逊和好奇而非评判的态度去对待不熟悉的审美传统。美的科学远非将艺术简化为公式，而是丰富了我们对于人类创造和体验美的非凡方式的欣赏。