考研英語三層遞進攻克閱讀理解97年試題(四)

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    No company likes to be told it is contributing to the moral decline of a nation. “Is this what you intended to accomplish with your careers?” Senator Robert Dole asked Time Warner executives last week. “You have sold your souls, but must you corrupt our nation and threaten our children as well?” At Time Warner, however, such questions are simply the latest manifestation of the soulsearching that has involved the company ever since the company was born in 1990. It’s a selfexamination that has, at various times, involved issues of responsibility, creative freedom and the corporate bottom line.
    At the core of this debate is chairman Gerald Levin, 56, who took over for the late Steve Ross in 1992. On the financial front, Levin is under pressure to raise the stock price and reduce the company’s mountainous debt, which will increase to$17.3 billion after two new cable deals close. He has promised to sell off some of the property and restructure the company, but investors are waiting impatiently.
    The flap over rap is not making life any easier for him. Levin has consistently defended the company’s rap music on the grounds of expression. In 1992, when Time Warner was under fire for releasing Ice T’s violent rap song Cop Killer, Levin described rap as a lawful expression of street culture, which deserves an outlet. “The test of any democratic society,” he wrote in a Wall Street Journal column, “l(fā)ies not in how well it can control expression but in whether it gives freedom of thought and expression the widest possible latitude, however disputable or irritating the results may sometimes be. We won’t retreat in the face of any threats.”
    Levin would not comment on the debate last week, but there were signs that the chairman was backing off his hard line stand, at least to some extent. During the discussion of rock singing verses at last month’s stockholders’ meeting, Levin asserted that “music is not the cause of society’s ills” and even cited his son, a teacher in the Bronx, New York, who uses rap to communicate with students. But he talked as well about the “balanced struggle” between creative freedom and social responsibility, and he announced that the company would launch a drive to develop standards for distribution and labeling of potentially objectionable music.
     The 15 member Time Warner board is generally supportive of Levin and his corporate strategy. But insiders say several of them have shown their concerns in this matter. “Some of us have known for many, many years that the freedoms under the First Amendment are not totally unlimited,” says Luce. “I think it is perhaps the case that some people associated with the company have only recently come to realize this.”
    63. Senator Robert Dole criticized Time Warner for .
    [A] its raising of the corporate stock price
    [B] its self examination of soul
    [C] its neglect of social responsibility
    [D] its emphasis on creative freedom
    64. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
    [A] Luce is a spokesman of Time Warner.
    [B] Gerald Levin is liable to compromise.
    [C] Time Warner is united as one in the face of the debate.
    [D] Steve Ross is no longer alive
    65. In face of the recent attacks on the company, the chairman .
     [A] stuck to a strong stand to defend freedom of expression
     [B] softened his tone and adopted some new policy
     [C] changed his attitude and yielded to objection
     [D] received more support from the 15 member board
    66. The best title for this passage could be .
    [A] A Company under Fire
    [B] A Debate on Moral Decline
    [C] A Lawful Outlet of Street Culture
    [D] A Form of Creative Freedom
    核心詞匯:
    accomplish[E5kQmpliF]vt.達到終點;完成(ac表強調+com共同+pli滿,填滿+ish動詞后綴→全部弄滿→完成)
    bottom[5bCtEm]n.底(部);基礎,根基;海底,湖底,河床
    compromise[5kCmprEmaiz]n.妥協(xié),折衷vi.妥協(xié)vt.危及,放棄(原則等) (com共同+promise→共同答應→妥協(xié))
    contribute[kEn5tribju:t]v.(to)貢獻,捐助,捐獻;投稿(con+全部+tribute→全部給出→捐獻)
    corrupt[kE5rQpt]v.賄賂,收買a.腐敗的,貪污的(cor全部+rupt斷→全斷了→腐敗了)rupt詞根“打破”,同根詞:bankrupt→bank銀行+rupt→破產的;interrupt→inter+rupt→打斷
    impatiently[im5peiFEntli]ad.不耐煩地(im+patient+ly),im否定前綴,patient耐心的,ly副詞后綴;去ly即為形容詞impatient。
    irritate[5iriteit]vt.激怒,惱火,使急躁(ir+rit擦+ate→進入磨擦→激怒)名詞形式為irritation,與irrigation一字母之差。
    mountainous[5mauntinEs]a.多山的;巨大的(mountain山+ous形容詞后綴→多山的)
    property[5prCpEti]n.財產;占有物; 特性,屬性(proper擁有+ty名詞后綴→財產)
    難句剖析:
    難句1“Is this what you intended to accomplish with your careers?” Senator Robert Dole asked Time Warner executives last week. “You have sold your souls, but must you corrupt our nation and threaten our children as well?”
    [分析]此句是有直接引語的復雜句。句子主干是“...Senator Robert Dole asked Time Warner executives last week...”,其前后是直接引語。這個直接引語的前半部分是一個一般疑問句,后面是包含轉折關系的句子,由連詞but連接。第一個分句是一個簡單句,but后面的句子是一個一般疑問句。
    [譯文]參議員羅伯特·多爾上星期質問時代華納公司高級人員時說:“難道這就是你們要成就的事業(yè)嗎?你們已經(jīng)出賣了自己的靈魂,難道你們還非要腐化我們的國家,威脅我們的孩子不成?”
    難句2It’s a selfexamination that has, at various times, involved issues of responsibility, creative freedom and the corporate bottom line.
    [分析]此句是包含定語從句的復雜句。句子主干為“It is a selfexamination...”,that后面引導的是限定性定語從句,修飾selfexamination,定語從句的賓語是一個of詞組,其核心是issues,在介詞of后面是三個并列的短語,都是用來修飾和限定issues的。這三個短語因為是并列的關系,所以只在最后一個短語前面使用并列連詞and。at various times是插入語,將動詞的兩部分分開了。
    [譯文]它是在不同時期涉及責任、創(chuàng)作自由和公司底線問題的自我反省。
    難句3“The test of any democratic society,” he wrote in a Wall Street Journal column, “l(fā)ies not in how well it can control expression but in whether it gives freedom of thought and expression the widest possible latitude, however disputable or irritating the results may sometimes be”.
    [分析]此句是一個用副詞however連接的并列復合句,句中直接引語被分成兩部分,一部分在主句前,另一部分放在主句之后。在這個例子里面,直接引語是主句的賓語。直接引語的主干是“The test... lies not in... but in..., however...”。
    [譯文]他在《華爾街日報》一篇專欄文章中寫道:“任何一個民主社會的檢驗不在于它能多有效地控制言論的自由表達,而在于是否給予了人們思考和表達的最廣泛的自由,不論其結果有時可能引起多大的爭議和憤怒?!?BR>    難句4During the discussion of rock singing verses at last month’s stockholders’ meeting, Levin asserted that “music is not the cause of society’s ills” and even cited his son, a teacher in the Bronx, New York, who uses rap to communicate with students.
    [分析]此句主干是“...Levin asserted that... and even cited...”。句中During... stockholder’s meeting這一部分是表示時間的狀語從句。music is not the cause of society’s ills是直接引語,作為動詞asserted的賓語。his son是動詞cited的賓語,后面的a teacher in the Bronx, New York是賓語his son的同位語,最后面的who uses rap to communicate with students是修飾his son的定語從句。
    [譯文]在上個月的股東會議上,大家就搖滾樂的歌詞進行了討論。萊文宣稱“音樂不是社會問題的病因”,他甚至還以自己為例。他的兒子是紐約州布朗克斯的一個教師,用說唱樂的表達方式與學生進行交流。
    文章類型:時文——社會科學——大眾傳媒
    這篇文章圍繞時代華納公司所遭受的抨擊及其面臨的多方困境展開論述。
    試題解析:
    63. 參議員羅伯特·多爾批判時代華納公司是因為
    [A] 它將公司股價提高。
    [B] 它對靈魂的自我檢驗。
    [C] 它對社會責任的忽視。
    [D] 它對創(chuàng)作自由的強調。
    細節(jié)事實題【正確答案】[C]
    在第一段中,多爾參議員指責時代華納公司說:“難道這就是你們的經(jīng)營目標嗎,你們出賣了自己的靈魂,難道你們也想毀了國家、危及我們的孩子嗎?”另從第三、四段來看,這里多爾所指責的正是該公司用它的音樂作品帶來的社會影響,多爾認為這些音樂作品對社會和青少年有不良影響。這些都表明他批判時代華納公司缺乏社會責任感。
    64.根據(jù)這篇文章下面哪個選項是正確的
    [A] 魯斯是時代華納公司的發(fā)言人。
    [B] 萊文傾向于妥協(xié)。
    [C] 在這場爭議中,時代華納公司團結一致。
    [D] 斯蒂夫·羅斯已經(jīng)去世
    判斷題【正確答案】[D]
    回答這一問題主要涉及對第二段第一句中“l(fā)ate”的理解。“l(fā)ate”在這里可以做“已故的”理解。第二段第一句可譯為:于1992年接替已故董事長斯蒂夫·羅斯的56歲的現(xiàn)任董事長杰拉德·萊文是爭論的焦點人物。因此選擇[D]項。
    65.面對最近這次公司遭受的抨擊,董事長
    [A] 堅持強硬立場保護思想表達自由。
    [B] 態(tài)度有所緩和,采取了某種新政策。
    [C] 改變其態(tài)度并向反對派屈服。
    [D] 獲得了董事會十五位成員更多的支持。
    細節(jié)事實題【正確答案】[B]
    第四段指出,萊文對上周的爭議拒絕評價,但有跡象表明他正在放棄自己的強硬立場——至少在某種程度上可以這樣說。在上月討論搖滾樂歌詞的董事會上,萊文強調音樂并不引起社會丑惡現(xiàn)象,同時也談到了創(chuàng)作自由與社會責任保持平衡的問題,他表示,公司將為音樂的發(fā)行和標識制定標準。可見,萊文在做出妥協(xié)姿態(tài)的同時,也采取了實際的行動。所以選擇[B]項。
    66. 這篇文章的標題是:
    [A] 遭到責難的公司[B] 一場關于道德敗壞的爭論
    [C] 街頭文化的合法表達(途徑)[D] 一種表現(xiàn)創(chuàng)作自由的形式
    中心主旨題【正確答案】 [A]
    文章的核心是時代華納公司,主要內容是對該公司的批評與辯論。所以[A]項正確。
    全文精譯:
    沒有一家公司樂意聽到別人說自己引起了社會的道德敗壞。參議員羅伯特·多爾上星期質問時代華納公司高級人員時說:“難道這就是你們要成就的事業(yè)嗎?你們已經(jīng)出賣了自己的靈魂,難道你們還非要腐化我們的國家,威脅我們的孩子不成?”不過,對于成立于1990年的時代華納公司而言,這樣的質問僅僅只是公司自我反思的最新表白,是在不同時期涉及責任、創(chuàng)作自由和公司底線問題的自我反省。
    第一段:參議員抨擊時代華納公司。
    于1992年接替已故董事長斯蒂夫·羅斯的56歲的現(xiàn)任董事長杰拉德·萊文是爭論的焦點人物。財政方面,他承受著抬高股價,減少公司巨額債務的壓力。在兩筆新的有線電視交易談妥后,債務將達到173億美元。他也答應出售部分財產并重組公司,但現(xiàn)在投資者們仍在焦急地等待著。
    第二段:指出時代華納公司財政上陷入危機。
    對說唱音樂的指責并沒使他的日子變得好過。萊文一向以表達情感為理由來捍衛(wèi)公司的說唱音樂。1992年公司因出品冰特樂隊狂暴的說唱歌曲《警察殺手》備受譴責時,萊文說這是街頭文化的合法表達方式,它應該有自己的宣泄途徑。他在《華爾街日報》一篇專欄文章中寫道:“任何一個民主社會的檢驗不在于它能多有效地控制言論的自由表達,而在于是否給予了人們思考和表達的最廣泛的自由,不論其結果有時可能引起多大的爭議和憤怒。面對威脅,我們決不退卻?!?BR>    第三段:現(xiàn)任董事長杰拉德·萊文以表達情感為理由來堅決捍衛(wèi)公司的說唱音樂。
    萊文不愿對上周的辯論做出評論,但有跡象表明這位董事長的強硬立場起碼在一定程度上有所緩和。在上個月的股東會議上,大家就搖滾樂的歌詞進行了討論。萊文宣稱“音樂不是社會問題的病因”,他甚至還以自己為例。他的兒子是紐約州布朗克斯的一個教師,用說唱樂的表達方式與學生進行交流。但他也談到了創(chuàng)作自由和社會責任之間要“保持平衡”的問題。他還宣布公司將采取措施對可能招致人們反對的音樂制定發(fā)行和標識的標準。
    第四段:指出萊文對說唱音樂的強硬立場在一定程度上有所緩和。
    總的來說,時代華納公司的15位董事是支持萊文和公司的經(jīng)營策略的。但內部人士透露其中幾位對此事表示擔憂?!拔覀冎械囊恍┤硕嗄陙砭椭缿椃ǖ谝恍拚杆f的自由并非毫無限制,”魯斯說,“我想與公司有關系的一些人可能是最近才意識到這一點。”
    第五段:公司董事會成員內部意見不一。