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

We all take a little extra effort to look nice for special occasions. But most of us have conflicting feelings about dressing up and feel guilty about taking the time to focus on clothes. Science now suggests the right dress may give ourselves the extra edge in our professional and personal lives.

We hear sayings like “dress for the job you want, not the job you have”. Most people don't really believe in them, but research into the impact of clothes on behavior now suggests that there may actually be a grain of truth in these sayings. Science says that the clothes we wear affect our behavior, our mood and even the way we interact with others because of the symbolic meaning that we assign to different types of clothing.

We consider some clothes to be powerful some to be fun, and so on. We even evaluate people whom we have just met based on their clothes. We also evaluate ourselves based on what we are wearing because of the way they make us feel. This means that the experience of wearing something affects our attitudes and our choice of behavior.

There's a reason tailored jackets are associated with being “dressed for success”. It seems that wearing formal office wear puts us in the right frame of mind to conduct business. Wearing power clothing makes us feel more confident and even increases hormones needed for displaying dominance. This in turn helps us become better negotiators and abstract thinkers.

While a good suit works wonders for our performance in the boardroom, wearing formal wear isn't a great idea when we want to socialize. Studies have found that people tend to be less open and less able to relax when they wear formal clothes. On the other hand, a casual dress helps us become more friendly and creative. These findings support the idea of wearing business casuals on a Friday, since colleagues are most likely to take out time to socialize on the last work day of the week. I mean, who wants to hang out with people in their suits?

46. What does science suggest the right dress may do?

A) Add to our advantage in work and life.

B) Enable us to look a lot more attractive.

C) Help us to enjoy a fuller personal life.

D) Provide extra energy for what we do.

47. Why does science say the clothes one wears may affect their interaction with others?

A) Clothes usually represent one's social and economic status.

B) Clothes largely determine one's likability by people around.

C) Different types of clothing markedly reflect different personalities.

D) Different types of clothing convey different messages symbolically.

48. How do the clothes we wear sway our evaluation of ourselves?

A) By exerting an effect on our power of judgment.

B) By impacting how we feel about ourselves.

C) By affecting what we take as the basis for assessment.

D) By influencing our interpretation of symbolic messages.

49. Why does the author say tailored jackets are associated with being “dressed for success”?

A) They are necessary for formal business dealings.

B) They may help people concentrate on their business.

C) They are vital to keeping a dominant position in business transactions.

D) They may enable people to have the right mentality for doing business.

50. What are people advised to do when they want to socialize?

A) Focus on clothing.

B) Wear a good suit.

C) Dress casually.

D) Look unusual.

Passage Two

With the rise of pop music, jazz, and electronic music, both opera and classical music started to fade away from the public eye. Some people are beginning to wonder whether opera and classical music are still relevant to the modern world of music. Granted, you will not typically see today's teenagers lending their ears to Bach anytime soon, but there are some major indicators that both opera and classical music are now still quite alive.

The most major indicator of classical music's importance in society today is the fact that much of the popular music that is currently being produced uses similar beats, harmonies, and melodies as those that were used in some of classical music's best works. Even so, it can be difficult for those who do not study music theory to see this as an indicator, since it is subtle and just shows the impact symphonic orchestras have had on society's taste in music.

A better example for the relevance of opera and classical music can be seen in the invention of the rock opera. Opera, in its simplest definition, is telling a story using music as its form. The art of telling a story using music has not faded in the least bit. In fact, sometimes actual orchestras are used for major parts of the opera itself. Some of the world's greatest hits have been parts of rock operas.

Fans of classical music can also tell you that there are few types of music that are more expressive. So, it should come as no surprise to anyone that classical music pieces are still used as background music in modern movies. Symphonic orchestra compositions have also been created solely for the purpose of being included in major motion pictures. These are often very well received amongst mainstream music fans.

Classical music and opera are the very foundation of what our modern music is based upon. Considering the huge impact they have had on our current society, it is without doubt that we can expect them to continue to remain important for centuries to come.

51. What does the author think of classical music and opera in today's world?

A) They still make their presence felt.

B) They have given way to electronic music.

C) They will not fade away from the public eye.

D) They are no longer relevant to teenagers' lives.

52. What do we learn about much of the popular music currently produced?

A) It can be difficult for many classical music fans to appreciate.

B) It can be seen as an indicator of refinement on classical music.

C) It caters to society's taste in music in a more subtle way than classical music.

D) It contains elements similar to those in some masterpieces of classical music.

53. Why does the author mention the invention of the rock opera?

A) To illustrate how to tell a story using music.

B) To present the simplest definition of opera.

C) To show the relevance of opera and classical music.

D) To justify the necessity of using orchestras in opera.

54. Why are classical music pieces still used as background music in modern movies?

A) There are few types of music for movie producers to choose from.

B) They are considered to be the most expressive type of music.

C) They are well received by movie fans from all over the world.

D) They are essential for movies to become the world's greatest hits.

55. What do we learn about our modern music?

A) It could not have come into being without classical music and opera as its foundation.

B) It cannot outcompete classical music and opera in its impact on our current society.

C) It will not enjoy as much popularity as classical music and opera among music fans.

D) It might not be able to rival classical music and opera in importance for centuries to come.

Answers & Explanations

Passage One: Psychology of Clothing

46. A。解析：题干问科学表明合适的着装可能会起什么作用。定位第一段最后一句：Science now suggests the right dress may give ourselves the extra edge in our professional and personal lives.（科学现在表明，合适的着装可能会在我们的职业和个人生活中赋予我们额外的优势）。give the extra edge 对应 Add to our advantage。对应选项 A (Add to our advantage in work and life 增加我们在工作和生活中的优势)。

47. D。解析：题干问为什么科学说一个人穿的衣服可能会影响他们与他人的互动。定位第二段最后一句：Science says that the clothes we wear affect our behavior, our mood and even the way we interact with others because of the symbolic meaning that we assign to different types of clothing.（科学表明，我们穿的衣服会影响我们的行为、情绪甚至与他人互动的方式，因为我们赋予不同类型的服装以象征意义）。assign symbolic meaning to 对应 convey different messages symbolically。对应选项 D (Different types of clothing convey different messages symbolically 不同类型的服装象征性地传达不同的信息)。

48. B。解析：题干问我们穿的衣服如何影响（sway）我们对自己的评价。定位第三段第三句：We also evaluate ourselves based on what we are wearing because of the way they make us feel.（我们也会根据我们穿的衣服来评价自己，因为它们让我们产生某种感觉）。the way they make us feel 对应 how we feel about ourselves。对应选项 B (By impacting how we feel about ourselves 通过影响我们对自己的感觉)。

49. D。解析：题干问作者为什么说定制的夹克与“为成功而着装”有关。定位第四段第一、二句：There's a reason tailored jackets are associated with being “dressed for success”. It seems that wearing formal office wear puts us in the right frame of mind to conduct business.（定制夹克之所以与“为成功而着装”联系在一起是有原因的。似乎穿着正式的办公服装能让我们处于做生意的正确心态中）。puts us in the right frame of mind 对应 enable people to have the right mentality。对应选项 D (They may enable people to have the right mentality for doing business 它们可能使人们具备做生意的正确心态)。

50. C。解析：题干问当人们想要社交时，建议他们怎么做。定位第五段：...wearing formal wear isn't a great idea when we want to socialize... On the other hand, a casual dress helps us become more friendly and creative.（...当我们想要社交时，穿正装并不是个好主意... 另一方面，休闲装有助于我们变得更加友好和富有创造力）。因此建议穿休闲装。对应选项 C (Dress casually 穿得随意/休闲)。

Passage Two: Classical Music in Modern World

51. A。解析：题干问作者如何看待当今世界中的古典音乐和歌剧。定位第一段最后一句：...but there are some major indicators that both opera and classical music are now still quite alive.（...但有一些重要指标表明，歌剧和古典音乐现在仍然非常活跃/存在）。still quite alive 对应 make their presence felt（让人感受到它们的存在）。对应选项 A (They still make their presence felt 它们仍然让人感受到它们的存在)。

52. D。解析：题干问关于目前制作的大部分流行音乐，我们能了解到什么。定位第二段第一句：...much of the popular music that is currently being produced uses similar beats, harmonies, and melodies as those that were used in some of classical music's best works.（...目前正在制作的许多流行音乐使用了与古典音乐一些最优秀作品中使用的相似的节拍、和声和旋律）。beats, harmonies, and melodies 对应 elements。对应选项 D (It contains elements similar to those in some masterpieces of classical music 它包含与某些古典音乐杰作中相似的元素)。

53. C。解析：题干问作者为什么提到摇滚歌剧的发明。定位第三段第一句：A better example for the relevance of opera and classical music can be seen in the invention of the rock opera.（关于歌剧和古典音乐相关性的一个更好的例子可以在摇滚歌剧的发明中看到）。这直接说明了目的。对应选项 C (To show the relevance of opera and classical music 为了展示歌剧和古典音乐的相关性)。

54. B。解析：题干问为什么古典乐曲仍被用作现代电影的背景音乐。定位第四段前两句：Fans of classical music can also tell you that there are few types of music that are more expressive. So, it should come as no surprise... that classical music pieces are still used as background music...（古典音乐的粉丝也会告诉你，很少有其他类型的音乐比它更具表现力。因此，古典乐曲仍被用作背景音乐也就不足为奇了...）。few types of music that are more expressive 意味着它是最具表现力的。对应选项 B (They are considered to be the most expressive type of music 它们被认为是最具表现力的音乐类型)。

55. A。解析：题干问关于我们的现代音乐，我们能了解到什么。定位最后一段第一句：Classical music and opera are the very foundation of what our modern music is based upon.（古典音乐和歌剧正是我们现代音乐所建立的基础）。既然是基础，那么没有它现代音乐就无法产生。对应选项 A (It could not have come into being without classical music and opera as its foundation 如果没有古典音乐和歌剧作为基础，它就不可能出现)。

核心搭配与高分句型

【核心搭配与高频短语】

• give sb. the extra edge：赋予某人额外的优势（give ourselves the extra edge）
• a grain of truth：一丝道理，有些许道理（there may actually be a grain of truth in these sayings）
• in the right frame of mind：处于正确的心态（puts us in the right frame of mind）
• work wonders：产生奇效，创造奇迹（works wonders for our performance）
• fade away：逐渐消失，褪色（started to fade away from the public eye）
• lend one's ears to：倾听（lending their ears to Bach）
• in the least bit：丝毫，一点儿（通常用于否定句，has not faded in the least bit）
• come into being：形成，产生（could not have come into being）

【亮点句型解析】

• Whom 引导的定语从句：
  "We even evaluate people whom we have just met based on their clothes."
  （我们甚至会根据刚刚遇到的人的穿着来评价他们。）`whom` 作为宾格关系代词引导定语从句修饰 `people`，这是非常标准且正式的书面表达，常用于四六级和考研写作中提高句型得分。
• It is without doubt that... (毫无疑问...)：
  "Considering the huge impact they have had on our current society, it is without doubt that we can expect them to continue to remain important for centuries to come."
  （考虑到它们对我们当前社会的巨大影响，毫无疑问我们可以预期它们在未来的几个世纪里将继续保持重要地位。）`it is without doubt that` 是一种语气强烈的肯定表达，搭配前面的 `Considering` 现在分词短语作状语，构成了一个逻辑严密、结构饱满的长难句。