2023考研英語二完型填空來源及淺析

2023考研英語二完形填空文章來源及淺析歷年來，考研英語二的完形填空、閱讀理解原文大都出自于英語國家原版報刊書籍，如Economist,Nature,ScientificAmerican,NewsWeek,WashingtonPost等，去年和今年英語二的閱讀題型仍沒超出這個范圍。去年（2023）考研英語二的完形填空文章來源于HarvardBusinessReview《哈佛商業(yè)評論》2023年6月9日的文章CompaniesinHappyCitiesInvestMorefortheLongTerm.而今年（2023）的完形填空則來自TheAtlantic《大西洋月刊》2023年6月28日的一篇文章：WouldaWork-FreeWorldBeSoBad?MBA加油站老師分析發(fā)現(xiàn)，從時間上可以看，每年的英語考題都是極為新鮮熱乎的，一般出自當年的外文雜志；而從文章題材上看，也都是時下關注度頗高且與生活相關度極高的一些話題。比如今年的這篇afuturewithoutwork.隨著社會的發(fā)展，科技的進步，大量的勞力被機器所替代，這類主題的文章曾引發(fā)過激烈的討論，網(wǎng)上搜索相關關鍵字會發(fā)現(xiàn)這樣的文章不計其數(shù)。前幾年考試出現(xiàn)的“電子貨幣”、“瘦并不見得比胖好”也都是如此。針對這樣的特點，MBA加油站的老師一直提倡，考研英語復習一定要以外文雜志為閱讀練習內容，以便能更好的閱讀、理解文章，同時適應地道的英語寫作風格，為寫作打下基礎。很多MBA加油站的學員最初閱讀量比較少，寫出的作文邏輯混亂，言之無物，表達非常chinglish（中國式英語），也不會分析現(xiàn)象背后的原因。而通過大量地閱讀原版外文雜志，我們不僅可以學到地道的英文表達，還能夠讓你在英語寫作時有話想說，有話可說。下面我們來看下今年的完形填空及原文。這篇文章原文大約2000字，此次完形填空選取了開頭4段（加粗的部分），約388字。大家可以看到文中有三處灰色陰影部分，第二處做了改寫，malaise改為unease，其它兩處刪掉，剩余部分則完全沒有變化，完全迎合了大綱的詞匯要求，把超綱的詞匯進行簡單改寫，把沒有必要的插入語，從句刪掉，以便降低閱讀難度。文中劃線的詞語即為此次考試的題目設置點。從詞匯的選擇上來看都不是什么過難的詞匯，整體難度與這幾年考試持平。完形填空歷來是考生們比較頭大的一個題型，考的不僅是詞匯，更是對上下文的邏輯理解，所以并不是單純的認識幾個詞語就行了，這就要求考生們在復習的時候一定要學會句子及篇章的閱讀而不是只記句子中單個的詞匯。就從這篇文章開啟你的英語閱讀之路吧！WouldaWork-FreeWorldBeSoBad?Fearsofcivilization-wideidlenessarebasedtoomuchonthedownsidesofbeingunemployedinasocietypremisedontheconceptofemployment.Peoplehavespeculatedforcenturiesaboutafuturewithoutwork,andtodayisnodifferent,withacademics,writers,andactivistsonceagainwarningthattechnologyisreplacinghumanworkers.Someimaginethatthecomingwork-freeworldwillbedefinedbyinequality:Afewwealthypeoplewillownallthecapital,andthemasseswillstruggleinanimpoverishedwasteland.Adifferent,lessparanoid,andnotmutuallyexclusivepredictionholdsthatthefuturewillbeawastelandofadifferentsort,onecharacterizedbypurposelessness:Withoutjobstogivetheirlivesmeaning,peoplewillsimplybecomelazyanddepressed.Indeed,today’sunemployeddon’tseemtobehavingagreattime.OneGalluppollfoundthat20percentofAmericanswhohavebeenunemployedforatleastayearreporthavingdepression,doubletherateforworkingAmericans.Also,someresearchsuggeststhattheexplanationforrisingratesofmortality,mental-healthproblems,andaddictionamongpoorly-educated,middle-agedpeopleisashortageofwell-paidjobs.Anotherstudyshowsthatpeopleareoftenhappieratworkthanintheirfreetime.Perhapsthisiswhymanyworryabouttheagonizingdullnessofajoblessfuture.Butitdoesn’tnecessarilyfollowfromfindingslikethesethataworldwithoutworkwouldbefilledwithmalaise.Suchvisionsarebasedonthedownsidesofbeingunemployedinasocietybuiltontheconceptofemployment.Intheabsenceofwork,asocietydesignedwithotherendsinmindcouldyieldstrikinglydifferentcircumstancesforthefutureoflaborandleisure.Today,thevirtueofworkmaybeabitoverblown.“Manyjobsareboring,degrading,unhealthy,andasquanderingofhumanpotential,”saysJohnDanaher,alecturerattheNationalUniversityofIrelandinGalwaywhohaswrittenaboutaworldwithoutwork.“Globalsurveysfindthatthevastmajorityofpeopleareunhappyatwork.”Thesedays,becauseleisuretimeisrelativelyscarceformostworkers,peopleusetheirfreetimetocounterbalancetheintellectualandemotionaldemandsoftheirjobs.“WhenIcomehomefromahardday’swork,Ioftenfeeltired,”Danahersays,adding,“InaworldinwhichIdon’thavetowork,Imightfeelratherdifferent”—perhapsdifferentenoughtothrowhimselfintoahobbyorapassionprojectwiththeintensityusuallyreservedforprofessionalmatters.Havingajobcanprovideameasureoffinancialstability,butinadditiontostressingoverhowtocoverlife’snecessities,today’sjoblessarefrequentlymadetofeellikesocialoutcasts.“Peoplewhoavoidworkareviewedasparasitesandleeches,”Danahersays.Perhapsasaresultofthisculturalattitude,formostpeople,self-esteemandidentityaretiedupintricatelywiththeirjob,orlackofjob.Plus,inmanymodern-daysocieties,unemploymentcanalsobedownrightboring.Americantownsandcitiesaren’treallybuiltforlotsoffreetime:Publicspacestendtobesmallislandsinseasofprivateproperty,andtherearen’tmanyplaceswithoutentryfeeswhereadultscanmeetnewpeopleorcomeupwithwaystoentertainoneanother.Therootsofthisboredommayrunevendeeper.PeterGray,aprofessorofpsychologyatBostonCollegewhostudiestheconceptofplay,thinksthatifworkdisappearedtomorrow,peoplemightbeatalossforthingstodo,growingboredanddepressedbecausetheyhaveforgottenhowtoplay.“Weteachchildrenadistinctionbetweenplayandwork,”Grayexplains.“Workissomethingthatyoudon’twanttodobutyouhavetodo.”Hesaysthistraining,whichstartsinschool,eventually“drillstheplay”outofmanychildren,whogrowuptobeadultswhoareaimlesswhenpresentedwithfreetime.“Sometimespeopleretirefromtheirwork,andtheydon’tknowwhattodo,”Graysays.“They’velosttheabilitytocreatetheirownactivities.”It’saproblemthatneverseemstoplagueyoungchildren.“Therearenothree-year-oldsthataregoingtobelazyanddepressedbecausetheydon’thaveastructuredactivity,”hesays.Butneeditbethisway?Work-freesocietiesaremorethanjustathoughtexperiment—they’veexistedthroughouthumanhistory.Considerhunter-gatherers,whohavenobosses,paychecks,oreight-hourworkdays.Tenthousandyearsago,allhumanswerehunter-gatherers,andsomestillare.DanielEverett,ananthropologistatBentleyUniversity,inMassachusetts,studiedagroupofhunter-gathersintheAmazoncalledthePirah?foryears.AccordingtoEverett,whilesomemightconsiderhuntingandgatheringwork,hunter-gatherersdon’t.“Theythinkofitasfun,”hesays.“Theydon’thaveaconceptofworkthewaywedo.”“It’saprettylaid-backlifemostofthetime,”Everettsays.HedescribedatypicaldayforthePirah?:Amanmightgetup,spendafewhourscanoeingandfishing,haveabarbecue,goforaswim,bringfishbacktohisfamily,andplayuntiltheevening.Suchsubsistencelivingissurelynotwithoutitsownsetofworries,buttheanthropologistMarshallSahlinsarguedina1968essaythathunter-gathersbelongedto“theoriginalaffluentsociety,”seeingastheyonly“worked”afewhoursaday;EverettestimatesthatPirah?adultsonaverageworkabout20hoursaweek(nottomentionwithoutbossespeeringovertheirshoulders).Meanwhile,accordingtotheBureauofLaborStatistics,theaverageemployedAmericanwithchildrenworksaboutninehoursaday.Doesthisleisurelylifeleadtothedepressionandpurposelessnessseenamongsomanyoftoday’sunemployed?“I’veneverseenanythingremotelylikedepressionthere,exceptpeoplewhoarephysicallyill,”Everettsays.“Theyhaveablast.Theyplayallthetime.”Whilemanymayconsiderworkastapleofhumanlife,workasitexiststodayisarelativelynewinventioninthecourseofthousandsofyearsofhumanculture.“Wethinkit’sbadtojustsitaroundwithnothingtodo,”saysEverett.“ForthePirah?,it’squiteadesirablestate.”Graylikenstheseaspectsofthehunter-gathererlifestyletothecarefreeadventuresofmanychildrenindevelopedcountries,whoatsomepointinlifeareexpectedtoputawaychildishthings.Butthathasn’talwaysbeenthecase.AccordingtoGaryCross’s1990bookASocialHistoryofLeisureSince1600,freetimeintheU.S.lookedquitedifferentbeforethe18thand19thcenturies.Farmers—whichwasafairwaytodescribeahugenumberofAmericansatthattime—mixedworkandplayintheirdailylives.Therewerenomanagersoroverseers,sotheywouldswitchfluidlybetweenworking,takingbreaks,joininginneighborhoodgames,playingpranks,andspendingtimewithfamilyandfriends.Nottomentionfestivalsandothergatherings:France,forinstance,had84holidaysayearin1700,andweatherkeptthemfromfarminganother80orsodaysayear.Thisallchanged,writesCross,duringtheIndustrialRevolution,whichreplacedfarmswithfactoriesandfarmerswithemployees.Factoryownerscreatedamorerigidlyscheduledenvironmentthatclearlydividedworkfromplay.Meanwhile,clocks—whichwerebecomingwidespreadatthattime—begantogivelifeaquickerpace,andreligiousleaders,whotraditionallyendorsedmostfestivities,startedassociatingleisurewithsinandtriedtoreplacerowdyfestivalswithsermons.Asworkersstartedmovingintocities,familiesnolongerspenttheirdaystogetheronthefarm.Instead,menworkedinfactories,womenstayedhomeorworkedinfactories,andchildrenwenttoschool,stayedhome,orworkedinfactoriestoo.Duringtheworkday,familiesbecamephysicallyseparated,whichaffectedthewaypeopleentertainedthemselves:Adultsstoppedplaying“childish”gamesandsports,andthestreetsweremostlywipedcleanoffun,asmiddle-andupper-classfamiliesfoundworking-classactivitieslikecockfightinganddicegamesdistasteful.Manysuchdiversionsweresoonoutlawed.Withworkers’oldoutletsforplayhavingdisappearedinahazeoffactorysmoke,manyofthemturnedtonew,moreurbanones.Barsbecamearefugewheretiredworkersdrankandwatchedliveshowswithsinginganddancing.IffreetimemeansbeerandTVtoalotofAmericans,thismightbewhy.Attimes,developedsocietieshave,foraprivilegedfew,producedlifestylesthatwerenearlyasplay-filledashunter-gatherers’.Throughouthistory,aristocratswhoearnedtheirincomesimplybyowninglandspentonlyatinyportionoftheirtimemindingfinancialexigencies.AccordingtoRandolphTrumbach,aprofessorofhistoryatBaruchCollege,18th-centuryEnglisharistocratsspenttheirdaysvisitingfriends,eatingelaboratemeals,hostingsalons,hunting,writingletters,fishing,andgoingtochurch.Theyalsospentagooddealoftimeparticipatinginpolitics,withoutpay.Theirchildrenwouldlearntodance,playinstruments,speakforeignlanguages,andreadLatin.Russiannoblesfrequentlybecameintellectuals,writers,andartists.“Asa17th-centuryaristocratsaid,‘Wesitdowntoeatandriseuptoplay,forwhatisagentlemanbuthispleasure?’”Trumbachsays.It’sunlikelythataworldwithoutworkwouldbeabundantenoughtoprovideeveryonewithsuchlavishlifestyles.ButGrayinsiststhatinjectinganyamountofadditionalplayintopeople’sliveswouldbeagoodthing,because,contrarytothat17th-centuryaristocrat,playisaboutmorethanpleasure.Throughplay,Graysays,children(aswellasadults)learnhowtostrategize,createnewmentalconnections,expresstheircreativity,cooperate,overcomenarcissism,andgetalongwithotherpeople.“Malemammalstypicallyhavedifficultylivingincloseproximitytoeachother,”hesays,andplay’sharmony-promotingpropertiesmayexplainwhyitcametobesocentraltohunter-gatherersocieties.Whilemostoftoday’sadultsmayhaveforgottenhowtoplay,Graydoesn’tbelieveit’sanunrecoverableskill:It’snotuncommon,hesays,forgrandparentstore-learntheconceptofplayafterspendingtimewiththeiryounggrandchildren.Whenpeopleponderthenatureofaworldwithoutwork,theyoftentransposepresent-dayassumptionsaboutlaborandleisureontoafuturewheretheymightnolongerapply;ifautomationdoesenduprenderingagoodportionofhumanlaborunnecessary,suchasocietymightexistoncompletelydifferenttermsthansocietiesdotoday.Sowhatmightawork-freeU.S.looklike?Grayhassomeideas.School,foronething,wouldbeverydifferent.“Ithinkoursystemofschoolingwouldcompletelyfallbythewayside,”saysGray.“Theprimarypurposeoftheeducationalsystemistoteachpeopletowork.Idon’tthinkanybodywouldwanttoputourkidsthroughwhatweputourkidsthroughnow.”Instead,Graysuggeststhatteacherscouldbuildlessonsaroundwhatstudentsaremostcuriousabout.Or,perhaps,formalschoolingwoulddisappearaltogether.Trumbach,meanwhile,wo