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
When is cleaning walls a crime? When you're doing it to create art, obviously. A number of street artists around the world have started expressing themselves through a practice known as reverse graffiti. They find dirty surfaces and paint them with images or messages using cleaning brushes or pressure hoses. Either way, it's the same principle: the image is made by cleaning away the dirt.
Each artist has their own individual style but all artists share a common aim: to draw attention to the pollution in our cities. The UK's Paul Curtis, better known as Moose, operates around Leeds and London and has been commissioned by a number of companies to make reverse graffiti advertisements.
Brazilian artist, Alexandre Orion, turned one of Sao Paulo's transport tunnels into an amazing wall painting in 2006 by getting rid of the dirt. Made up of a series of white skulls, the painting reminds drivers of the effect their pollution is having on the planet. “Every motorist sits in the comfort of their car, but they don't give any consideration to the price their comfort has for the environment,” says Orion.
The anti-pollution message of the reverse graffiti artists confuses city authorities since the main argument against graffiti is that it spoils the appearance of property. Leeds City Council viewed Moose's work as environmental damage. As for Orion's work, the authorities were annoyed but could find nothing to charge him with. They had no other option but to clean the tunnel—but only the parts Alexandre had already cleaned. The city officials then took drastic action: they cleaned every tunnel in Sao Paulo.
46. What do we learn from the passage about reverse graffiti?
47. What do reverse graffiti artists try to do?
48. What do we learn about Brazilian artist Alexandre Orion?
49. What does the author imply about Leeds City Council's decision?
50. How did Sao Paulo city officials handle Alexandre Orion's reverse graffiti?
Passage Two
The practice of paying children an allowance became popular in America about 100 years ago. Nowadays, American kids on average receive about $800 per year. But the vast majority of parents tie it to the completion of housework. Although many parents believe this benefits their children, experts express concern that tying allowance closely to chores may not be ideal.
Psychologist Suniya Luthar is against paying kids for chores. She thinks it's important to establish that chores are done because they keep the household running. Her approach is compatible with that of Ron Lieber, who advises that allowances be used to show children how to save, give, and spend. Kids should do chores “for the same reason adults do, because they need to be done, and not with the expectation of compensation.”
Professor David Lancy has studied how families around the world handle chores. At about 18 months of age, most children become eager to help. They begin with simple tasks, and their responsibilities gradually increase without payment. Lancy contrasts this with America: “We deny our children's bids to help until they are 6 or 7, when many have lost the desire. The solution is to get children involved in housework much earlier, when they actually want to do it.”
51. What do some experts think about paying children for doing chores?
52. According to Suniya Luthar, doing chores will help children learn to
53. What does Ron Lieber think should be the goal of giving children allowances?
54. What does David Lancy say about 18-month-olds?
55. What does David Lancy advise American parents to do?
Answers & Explanations
Passage One: The Art of Cleaning
46. D。题干问关于反转涂鸦我们了解到了什么。第一段末尾指出：the image is made by cleaning away the dirt（这种图像是通过清理污垢形成的），也就是把脏墙壁变成了艺术作品，对应选项 D (It turns dirty walls into artistic works)。
47. C。题干问反转涂鸦艺术家试图做什么。第二段指出：all artists share a common aim: to draw attention to the pollution in our cities（所有艺术家都有一个共同目标：引起人们对城市污染的关注），对应选项 C (Raise public awareness of environmental pollution)。
48. B。题干问关于巴西艺术家 Alexandre Orion 我们了解到了什么。第三段指出：turned one of Sao Paulo's transport tunnels into an amazing wall painting（把圣保罗的一个交通隧道变成了令人惊叹的壁画），对应选项 B (He chose tunnels to do his graffiti art)。
49. A。题干问作者对利兹市议会决定的暗示。第四段提到：Leeds City Council viewed Moose's work as environmental damage（利兹市议会把 Moose 清理墙面的作品视为“破坏环境”），明明是清理污垢却被说成破坏环境，作者暗示这种决定是荒谬的，对应选项 A (It is simply absurd)。
50. D。题干问圣保罗官员如何处理 Orion 的反转涂鸦。最后一段指出：The city officials then took drastic action: they cleaned every tunnel in Sao Paulo（市政府官员采取了极端行动：他们把圣保罗的每一条隧道都清理干净了）。墙都干净了，涂鸦艺术家就无法用“清洗污垢”的方式作画了，对应选项 D (They made it impossible for him to practice his art)。
全文翻译
什么时候清洗墙壁是犯罪？很明显，是在你用它来创作艺术的时候。世界各地的一些街头艺术家已经开始通过一种被称为反向涂鸦的实践来表达自己。他们找到肮脏的表面，用清洁刷或高压水枪在上面绘制图像或信息。无论哪种方式，原理都是一样的：图像是通过清除污垢而创造的。每位艺术家都有自己独特的风格，但所有艺术家都有一个共同的目标：引起人们对我们城市污染的注意。英国的Paul Curtis，更广为人知的艺名是Moose，在利兹和伦敦周边活动，并已受多家公司委托制作反向涂鸦广告。巴西艺术家Alexandre Orion在2006年通过清除污垢，将圣保罗的一条交通隧道变成了一幅令人惊叹的壁画。这幅由一系列白色骷髅头组成的画作提醒着驾驶员他们的污染对地球造成的影响。「每个驾车者都坐在他们舒适的汽车里，但他们完全没有考虑到他们的舒适对环境付出的代价，」Orion说。反向涂鸦艺术家的反污染信息让市政当局感到困惑，因为反对涂鸦的主要论据是它破坏了财产的外观。利兹市议会将Moose的作品视为环境破坏。至于Orion的作品，当局虽然恼火，但找不到任何可以起诉他的罪名。他们别无选择，只能清洁隧道——但只清洁Alexandre已经清洁过的部分。市政官员随后采取了激烈行动：他们清洁了圣保罗的每一条隧道。
Passage Two: Chores and Allowances
51. C。题干问一些专家对给孩子付钱做家务的看法。第一段末尾指出：experts express concern that tying allowance closely to chores may not be ideal（专家们表示担忧，将零用钱与家务紧密联系在一起可能并不理想），对应选项 C (It may not turn out to be the best thing to do)。
52. A。题干问据 Suniya Luthar 所说做家务能帮孩子学到什么。第二段指出她认为：chores are done because they keep the household running（做家务是因为要维持家庭的运转），即培养对家庭的责任感，对应选项 A (share family responsibilities)。
53. B。题干问 Ron Lieber 认为给零用钱的目的应该是什么。第二段指出他建议：allowances be used to show children how to save, give, and spend（零用钱应该用来向孩子展示如何储蓄、给予和消费），也就是教孩子理财，对应选项 B (To teach them how to manage money)。
54. A。题干问 David Lancy 对 18 个月大婴儿的看法。第三段指出：At about 18 months of age, most children become eager to help（在大约 18 个月大时，大多数孩子变得渴望帮忙），也就是有一种帮忙的本能，对应选项 A (They have a natural instinct to help)。
55. D。题干问 David Lancy 建议美国父母怎么做。第三段末尾指出：The solution is to get children involved in housework much earlier, when they actually want to do it（解决办法是让孩子们更早地参与家务，在他们真正想做的时候），即接受他们早期的帮忙请求，对应选项 D (Accept children's early bids to help)。
全文翻译
给孩子零花钱的做法大约在100年前在美国流行起来。如今，美国孩子平均每年收到约800美元。但绝大多数父母将零花钱与完成家务挂钩。尽管许多父母认为这对孩子有益，专家却表示担忧，认为将零花钱与家务紧密挂钩可能并非理想做法。
心理学家 Suniya Luthar 反对为家务付钱给孩子。她认为重要的是让孩子明白做家务是因为需要维持家庭运转。她的方法与 Ron Lieber 的建议一致，后者建议用零花钱来教会孩子如何储蓄、捐赠和消费。孩子应该"和成年人一样的原因去做家务，因为家务需要完成，而不是期望得到报酬"。
David Lancy 教授研究了世界各地家庭处理家务的方式。大约在18个月大时，大多数孩子变得渴望帮忙。他们从简单的任务开始，责任逐渐增加而无需报酬。Lancy 将此与美国进行对比："我们拒绝孩子帮忙的请求，直到他们6、7岁，那时很多孩子已经失去了帮忙的欲望。解决办法是让孩子更早地参与家务，在他们真正想做的时候。"