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

It may sound surprising, but you don't have to be interested in fashion, or even in history, to enjoy Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History. I happen to be interested in both, and ended up enjoying the book for completely different reasons.

Richard Thompson Ford is a law professor, and you probably won't forget that for even one page. His carefully reasoned arguments, packed with examples, sound almost like reading a court opinion, only maybe wordier. You will probably never think of fashion as a trifle again.

Ford's thesis is that the best way to understand what particular fashions meant in any given era is to look at the restrictions placed on them. Through this lens, he shows us that the first laws passed in the 1200s to ensure that only the nobility were allowed to wear certain fabrics, colors and ornaments reflected the rise of the middle class, who were now able to imitate some of these fashions. The status of the upper classes was threatened: fashion was a tool to preserve it.

Ford takes the reader through the evolution of fashion while examining the underlying motivations of status: sex, power, and personality, which, he assumes, influenced all innovations in fashion in the past and which continue to influence us today.

His writing is more than a little dense — dense with research, clauses, and precise adjectives and nouns. But there's also humor and enough interesting episodes to make the writing appealing. No one is spared his sharp analysis: not the easy targets of 19th century women's crippling fashions nor the modern uniforms of Silicon Valley T-shirts.

But the greatest strength of this book (on fashion!) is its intellectual profoundness. Ford asks us to question unconscious beliefs, to realize that we almost never do so, to understand that the simplest choices are charged with meaning, and yet that meaning can and does change all the time. Consider the fact that a 1918 catalog insisted that boys and girls be dressed in the appropriate color. We believe our thinking today is evolved. Ford shows us it's not.

46. What does the author think of the book Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History?

A) It is read by people for entirely different reasons.

B) It is meant for those interested in fashion history.

C) It makes enjoyable as well as informative reading.

D) It converts fashion into something for deliberation.

47. How can people best understand a particular fashion in an era, according to Ford?

A) By examining the restraints imposed on it.

B) By looking at what the nobility were wearing.

C) By glancing at its fabrics, colors, and ornaments.

D) By doing a survey of the upper and middle classes.

48. What was the aim of the first laws passed regarding fashion in the 1200s?

A) To facilitate the rise of the middle class.

B) To loosen restrictions on dress codes.

C) To help initiate some novel fashions.

D) To preserve the status of the nobles.

49. What does the author think of Ford's writing?

A) It uses comparison and contrast in describing fashions of different eras.

B) It makes heavy reading but is not lacking in humor or appeal.

C) It is filled with interesting episodes to spare readers intolerable boredom.

D) It is characteristic of academics in presenting arguments.

50. What does the author say is the greatest strength of Ford's book?

A) Plentiful information.

B) Meaningful choices.

C) Evolved thinking.

D) Intellectual depth.

Passage Two

The art of persuasion means convincing others to agree with your point of view or to follow your course of action. For some of us, persuasion is an instinctive quality and the power of influencing comes naturally. For the rest of us, persuasion skills can be learned and developed over time.

Employers place a great value on employees with persuasion skills because they can impact several aspects of job performance. Besides, teamwork and leadership rely heavily on the power of persuasion to get things done. Without persuasion skills, employees may not be as committed to or convinced of the importance of an organization's vision and long-term mission. Effective use of persuasion skills will not only help get your coworkers excited about your ideas, it'll also help you motivate them to achieve a common goal.

In order to learn the art of persuasion at the workplace, you need to understand how to handle conflicts and reach agreements. Good communication is the first step in effective persuasion, but logic and reasoning are just as important. Before you can get somebody on-board with your goal, you should help them understand why they should pursue it. Using visual aids to back up your ideas can help communicate your ideas better and make compelling arguments so your listeners will come to a logical choice and become fully committed to your ideas and plans.

Successful persuasion skills are based on your ability to have positive interactions and maintain meaningful relationships with people. In order to sustain those relationships, you must be able to work in their best interests as well. Your coworkers are more likely to agree with you when they succeed alongside you. The more they achieve and the greater progress they make, the more they trust your judgement and strength.

We persuade and get persuaded every day — we're either convincing or being convinced. A vast majority of people prefer collaboration and teamwork over traditional organizational structures, no one likes to be told what to do or to be pushed around. Therefore, organizations and leaders should adopt powerful persuasion skills to bring about necessary changes.

51. What does the author say about the ability to be persuasive in the first paragraph?

A) People may either be born with it or be able to cultivate it.

B) It proves crucial in making others follow one's course of action.

C) It refers to the natural and instinctive power of influencing one's coworkers.

D) People may view it as both a means to convince others and an art of communication.

52. Why are persuasion skills greatly valued in the workplace?

A) They enable employees to be convinced of their long-term gains.

B) They enable employees to trust their leaders unconditionally.

C) They help motivate coworkers to strive for a common goal.

D) They help an organization to broaden its vision effectively.

53. What should people do to learn the art of persuasion at the workplace?

A) Acquire effective communication skills.

B) Avoid getting involved in conflicts with others.

C) Understand the reason for pursuing their goals.

D) Commit themselves fully to their ideas and plans.

54. When are you more likely to succeed in persuading your coworkers?

A) When they are convinced you work in their interests while sacrificing your own.

B) When they become aware of the potential strength of the judgements you make.

C) When they become aware of the meaningful relationships you keep with them.

D) When they are convinced they will make achievements together with you.

55. Why are organizations and leaders advised to adopt powerful persuasion skills to bring about necessary changes?

A) To convince employees of the value of collaboration.

B) To allow for the preferences of most people of today.

C) To improve on traditional organizational structures.

D) To adapt to employees' ever-changing working styles.

Answers & Explanations

Passage One: Review of Dress Codes

46. D。解析：题干问作者觉得《着装规范》这本书怎么样。定位第一段和第二段：作者在第一段提到读这本书的理由不同，第二段指出作者 Ford 的写作风格像法庭意见书，使得读者“以后绝不会再把时尚看作一件小事 (trifle)”。这意味着作者把时尚变成了需要深思熟虑的事物。对应选项 D (It converts fashion into something for deliberation 它把时尚转化为需要深思熟虑的事物)。

47. A。解析：题干问根据 Ford 的观点，人们如何最好地理解某个时代的特定时尚。定位第三段第一句：Ford's thesis is that the best way to understand... is to look at the restrictions placed on them.（Ford的论点是...最好的方法是看施加在它们上的限制）。restrictions 对应 restraints，placed on 对应 imposed on。对应选项 A (By examining the restraints imposed on it 通过检查施加在它上面的限制)。

48. D。解析：题干问1200年代通过的第一部法律的目的是什么。定位第三段最后两句：1200年代的法律规定只有贵族才能穿某些衣服...The status of the upper classes was threatened: fashion was a tool to preserve it.（上层阶级的地位受到威胁：时尚是维护其地位的工具）。the upper classes 即 the nobles。对应选项 D (To preserve the status of the nobles 为了维护贵族的地位)。

49. B。解析：题干问作者对 Ford 写作手法的看法。定位第五段：His writing is more than a little dense... But there's also humor and enough interesting episodes to make the writing appealing.（他的文字不只是一点点难懂/沉重... 但也有幽默和有趣的插曲让文章有吸引力）。dense 对应 heavy reading，appealing 对应 appeal。对应选项 B (It makes heavy reading but is not lacking in humor or appeal 这本书读起来很沉重，但不乏幽默感或吸引力)。

50. D。解析：题干问这本书最大的优势是什么。定位最后一段首句：But the greatest strength of this book... is its intellectual profoundness.（但这本书最大的优势是其思想的深刻性）。profoundness 对应 depth。对应选项 D (Intellectual depth 思想深度)。

全文翻译

这听起来也许令人惊讶，但你不必对时尚感兴趣，甚至不必对历史感兴趣，也能享受《着装法则：时尚法则如何创造历史》这本书。我碰巧对两者都感兴趣，并最终因为完全不同的原因而喜欢上了这本书。Richard Thompson Ford是一位法学教授，你大概连一页都不会忘记这一点。他那些经过精心推理的论点充满了例子，读起来几乎像是在读法院意见书，只是可能更冗长一些。你可能再也不会把时尚视为无聊小事了。Ford的论点是要理解特定时代的特定时尚意味着什么，最好的方法是审视施加在它们上面的限制。通过这一视角，他向我们展示了13世纪初通过的第一批法律——确保只有贵族才被允许穿戴某些面料、颜色和饰品——反映了当时中产阶级的崛起，他们当时已经能够模仿其中一些时尚。上层阶级的地位受到了威胁：时尚是维护地位的工具。Ford带领读者穿越时尚的演变，同时审视其背后的地位动机：性、权力和个性，他认为这些在过去影响了时尚的所有创新，并且至今仍在影响着我们。他的写作不仅有些晦涩——晦涩在研究、从句和精确的形容词和名词中。但其中也有幽默和足够有趣的片段让文字引人入胜。没有人能逃过他尖锐的分析：无论是19世纪女性致残时尚的容易目标，还是硅谷T恤的现代制服。但这本书（关于时尚！）最大的优势在于它思想上的深度。Ford要求我们质疑无意识的信念，意识到我们几乎从来不做这件事，理解最简单的选择也充满了意义，然而这种意义可以并且确实一直在变化。想想1918年一份产品目录坚持男孩和女孩必须穿指定颜色的衣服这件事。我们以为我们今天的思维已经进化了。Ford向我们展示了事实并非如此。

Passage Two: The Art of Persuasion

51. A。解析：题干问第一段中关于说服力的能力作者说了什么。定位第一段第二/三句：For some of us, persuasion is an instinctive quality... For the rest of us, persuasion skills can be learned and developed...（对于我们中的一些人来说，说服力是一种本能/天生的素质... 对于我们其余的人来说，说服技巧可以通过学习和培养...）。instinctive 对应 born with it，learned and developed 对应 cultivate it。对应选项 A (People may either be born with it or be able to cultivate it 人们可能天生具备这种能力，也可能后天培养这种能力)。

52. C。解析：题干问为什么职场中说服力受到高度重视。定位第二段最后一句：Effective use of persuasion skills will not only help get your coworkers excited about your ideas, it'll also help you motivate them to achieve a common goal.（不仅帮助同事对你的想法感到兴奋，还会帮助你激励他们实现共同目标）。对应选项 C (They help motivate coworkers to strive for a common goal 它们帮助激励同事为共同目标奋斗)。

53. A。解析：题干问人们应该做什么来学习职场上的说服力。定位第三段第二句：Good communication is the first step in effective persuasion...（良好的沟通是有效说服的第一步）。Good communication 对应 effective communication skills。对应选项 A (Acquire effective communication skills 获得有效的沟通技巧)。

54. D。解析：题干问你何时更有可能成功说服同事。定位第四段第三句：Your coworkers are more likely to agree with you when they succeed alongside you.（当同事与你一起成功时，他们更可能同意你的观点）。succeed alongside you 对应 make achievements together with you。对应选项 D (When they are convinced they will make achievements together with you 当他们确信他们会和你一起取得成就时)。

55. B。解析：题干问为什么建议组织和领导者采用强大的说服技巧来带来必要的改变。定位最后一段：A vast majority of people prefer collaboration and teamwork... no one likes to be told what to do or to be pushed around. Therefore, organizations and leaders should adopt...（绝大多数人更喜欢合作和团队合作...没人喜欢被命令或被摆布。因此，组织和领导者应该采用...）。这意味着采用说服技巧是为了迎合当今大多数人的偏好（更喜欢合作，不喜欢被命令）。对应选项 B (To allow for the preferences of most people of today 为了考虑到当今大多数人的偏好)。

全文翻译

说服的艺术意味着说服他人同意你的观点或遵循你的行动方针。对我们中的一些人来说，说服是一种本能品质，影响力自然而然就来了。对于其他人来说，说服技巧可以随着时间学习和培养。雇主非常看重具有说服技巧的员工，因为他们可以影响工作表现的多个方面。此外，团队合作和领导力在很大程度上依赖于说服的力量来完成任务。没有说服技巧，员工可能不会那么致力于组织的愿景和长期使命，或对它们的重要性深信不疑。有效运用说服技巧不仅能让你的同事对你的想法充满热情，还能帮助你激励他们实现共同目标。为了在工作场所学会说服的艺术，你需要了解如何处理冲突并达成共识。良好的沟通是有效说服的第一步，但逻辑和推理同样重要。在你让某人认同你的目标之前，你应该帮助他们理解为什么他们应该追求这个目标。使用视觉辅助工具来支撑你的想法可以帮助更好地传达你的想法，做出有说服力的论证，让你的听众得出合乎逻辑的选择，并完全认同你的想法和计划。成功的说服技巧基于你与人们进行积极互动并维持有意义关系的能力。为了维持这些关系，你必须也能为他们的最大利益而努力。当你的同事与你一起取得成功时，他们更有可能同意你的观点。他们取得的成就越多，进展越大，就越信任你的判断力和能力。我们每天都在说服也被说服——我们不是正在说服别人，就是正在被说服。绝大多数人更喜欢合作和团队协作，而不是传统的组织结构，没有人喜欢被告知该做什么或被任意摆布。因此，组织和领导者应该采用强有力的说服技巧来推动必要的变革。

核心搭配与高分句型

【核心搭配与高频短语】

• happen to do：碰巧做...（I happen to be interested in both）
• end up doing：最终成为，以...告终（ended up enjoying the book）
• place restrictions on：对...施加限制（look at the restrictions placed on them）
• more than a little：极其，非常（表示强调）（His writing is more than a little dense）
• be charged with：充满（某种情感或意义），被赋予（simplest choices are charged with meaning）
• get somebody on-board：让某人参与，让某人赞同并支持（get somebody on-board with your goal）
• back up：支持，证实（Using visual aids to back up your ideas）
• alongside somebody：在某人旁边，与某人一起（when they succeed alongside you）
• push around：摆布，欺负（to be told what to do or to be pushed around）

【亮点句型解析】

• The more... the more... (越...就越...)：
  "The more they achieve and the greater progress they make, the more they trust your judgement and strength."
  （他们取得的成就越多，进步越大，就越信任你的判断和实力。）四六级作文万能提分句型，逻辑极其严密，展示了两个平行维度的正向相关性。
• No one is spared... not... nor... (双重否定与排比强调)：
  "No one is spared his sharp analysis: not the easy targets of 19th century women's crippling fashions nor the modern uniforms of Silicon Valley T-shirts."
  （没有人能逃脱他尖锐的分析：无论是作为容易攻击目标的19世纪女性那致残的时尚，还是现代硅谷T恤的制服，都不例外。）`No one is spared` 定下基调，冒号后使用 `not... nor...` 举出从古至今两个极端的例子，句式极具张力和节奏感，非常适合用于议论文中罗列证据。