考研英語模擬試題及答案

考研英語模擬試題及答案SectionIUseofEnglishDirections:

Readthefollowingtext.Choosethebestword(s)foreachnumberedblankandmarkA,B,CorDonANSWERSHEET1.(10points)

TheheadofacompanythatsaysithasproducedthefirsthumanclonesaidonMondaythatthemotherandbabywerehomefollowingthechild'sbirthlastweekandgeneticproofdemandedbyscientistsandotherskepticsshouldbe1inaweek.

BrigitteBoisselier,chiefexecutiveofClonaid,whichislinkedtoagroupthat2mankindwascreatedbyextraterrestrials,3tosaywhetherthe31-year-oldAmericanmotherandherchildwereintheUnitedStatesor4.

Herclaimtohaveclonedahumanbeinglastweekdrew5reactionfromexperts6thefieldandshe7noproof,8saidthatgenetictestingwas9forTuesday.

TheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministrationstronglyopposeshumancloning,10wasshowedinmanyoccasions，saidonFridayitwas"takingstepsto11"Clonaid'sclaim.It12theimplantationofaclonedbabyintoawomanis13intheUnitedStates14FDAapproval.

Clonaidwas15bythecreatoroftheRaelianMovement,agroup16claims55,00017aroundtheworldand18thatlifeonEarthwassparkedby19whoarrived25,000yearsagoand20humansthroughcloning.

1.[A]complicated[B]available[C]durable[D]disposable

2.[A]reports[B]intensifies[C]claims[D]believes

3.[A]denied[B]opposed[C]distinguished[D]declined

4.[A]anywhere[B]nowhere[C]otherwhere[D]elsewhere

5.[A]content[B]skeptical[C]critical[D]obvious

6.[A]in[B]on[C]upon[D]from

7.[A]indicated[B]manifested[C]offered[D]provided

8.[A]but[B]butalso[C]although[D]despiteof

9.[A]required[B]speculated[C]scheduled[D]disposed

10.[A]than[B]as[C]but[D]that

11.[A]look[B]inquire[C]investigate[D]study

12.[A]said[B]showed[C]issaid[D]manifested

13.[A]improper[B]illogical[C]impossible[D]illegal

14.[A]from[B]without[C]against[D]under

15.[A]raised[B]founded[C]produced[D]manufactured

16.[A]which[B]that[C]what[D]unless

17.[A]participants[B]opponents[C]followers[D]counterparts

18.[A]asserts[B]estimated[C]announced[D]predicts

19.[A]materials[B]extraterrestrials[C]substances[D]things

20.[A]discovered[B]produced[C]created[D]invented

SectionIIReadingComprehension

PartA

Directions:

Readthefollowingfourtexts.AnswerthequestionsbeloweachtextbychoosingA,B,CorD.MarkyouranswersonANSWERSHEET1(40points)

TEXT1

Howshouldonereadabook?Inthefirstplace,Iwanttoemphasizethequestionmarkattheendofmybeginningsentence.EvenifIcouldanswerthequestionformyself,theanswerwouldapplyonlytomeandnottoyou.Theonlyadvice,indeed,thatonepersoncangiveanotheraboutreadingistotakenoadvice,tofollowyourowninstincts,touseyourownreason,tocometoyourownconclusion.Ifthisisagreedbetweenus,thenIfeelatlibertytoputforwardafewideasandsuggestionsbecauseyouwillnotallowthemtorestrictthatindependencewhichisthemostimportantqualitythatareadercanpossess.Afterall,whatlawscanbelaiddownaboutbooks?ThebattleofWaterloowascertainlyfoughtonacertainday;butisHamletabetterplaythanLear?Nobodycansay.Eachmustdecidethatquestionofhimself.Toadmitauthorities,howeverheavilyfurredandgowned,intoourlibrariesandletthemtellushowtoread,whattoread,whatvaluetoplaceuponwhatweread,istodestroythespiritoffreedomwhichisthebreathofthosesanctuaries.Everywhereelsewemaybeboundbylawsandconventions—therewehavenone.

Buttoenjoyfreedom,ifthisoldstatementispardonable,wehaveofcoursetocontrolourselves.Wemustnotwasteourpowers,helplesslyandignorantly,sprayingwateraroundhalfthehouseinordertowaterasinglerose-bush;wemusttrainthem,exactlyandpowerfully,hereontheveryspot.This,itmaybe,isoneofthefirstdifficultiesthatfacesusinalibrary.Whatis“theveryspot”?Theremaywellseemtobenothingbutaconglomerationandhuddleofconfusion.Poemsandnovels,historiesandmemoirs,dictionariesandblue-books;bookswritteninalllanguagesbymenandwomenofalltempers,races,andagesjostleeachotherontheshelf.Andoutsidethedonkeybrays,thewomengossipatthepump,thecoltsgallopacrossthefields.Wherearewetobegin?Howarewetobringorderintothismultitudinouschaosandsogetthedeepestandwidestpleasurefromwhatweread?

21.Whichofthefollowingistrueaboutthequestionraisedatthebeginningofthepassage?

[A]Theauthordoeshaveauniversallycorrectanswertothequestion.

[B]Theauthorimpliesthatsheisnotinterestedinthequestion.

[C]Theauthorthinkstheremaybedifferentanswerstothequestion.

[D]Theauthorwondersifthereisanypointinaskingthequestion.

22.Agoodreadershould,accordingtotheauthor,beableto

[A]maintainhisownviewpointsconcerningreading.

[B]takeadvicefromeverybodyinsteadofanyoneperson.

[C]sharehisexperiencesinreadingwithothers.

[D]takethesuggestionsotherpeoplegivehim.

23.IncomparingHamletwithLear,theauthormeansthat

[A]HamletisbetterthanLear.

[B]HamletisnoanybetterthanLear.

[C]Bothplaysaregoodworks.

[D]Thereisnowaytotellwhichisbetter.

24.Totheauthor,theadviceinreadinggivenbyauthoritiesis

[A]themostimportantforreaders.

[B]unlikelytobehelpfultoreaders.

[C]ourguidanceinchoosingwhattoread.

[D]onlyusefulinthelibraries.

25.Whatis“oneofthefirstdifficultiesthatfacesusinalibrary?”(Paragraph2)

[A]Wemaybecometooexcitedtobequietinthelibrary.

[B]Wedonotmakebestuseofthelibrarybooks.

[C]Wemaygettotallylostastowhattochoosetoread.

[D]Wecannotconcentrateonourreadinginthelibrary.

TEXT2

Humanmigration:thetermisvague.Whatpeopleusuallythinkofisthepermanentmovementofpeoplefromonehometoanother.Morebroadly,though,migrationmeansalltheways—fromtheseasonaldriftofagriculturalworkerswithinacountrytotherelocationofrefugeesfromonecountrytoanother.

Migrationisbig,dangerous,compelling.Itis60millionEuropeansleavinghomefromthe16thtothe20thcenturies.Migrationisthedynamicundertowofpopulationchange:everyone’ssolution,everyone’sconflict.Asthecenturyturns,migration,withitsinevitableeconomicandpoliticalturmoil,hasbeencalled“oneofthegreatestchallengesofthecomingcentury.”

TodemographerKingsleyDavis,twothingsmademigrationhappen.First,humanbeings,withtheirtoolsandlanguage,couldadapttodifferentconditionswithouthavingtowaitforevolutiontomakethemsuitableforanewniche.Second,aspopulationsgrew,culturesbegantodiffer,andinequalitiesdevelopedbetweengroups.Thefirstfactorgaveusthekeystothedoorofanyroomontheplanet;theothergaveusreasonstousethem.

Overthecenturies,asagriculturespreadacrosstheplanet,peoplemovedtowardplaceswheremetalwasfoundandworkedandtocentresofcommercethatthenbecamecities.Thoseplaceswere,inturn,invadedandoverrunbypeoplelatergenerationscalledbarbarians.

Inbetweenthesestormsurgesweresteadierbutsimilarlyprofoundtidesinwhichpeoplemovedouttocolonizeorwerecapturedandbroughtinasslaves.ForawhilethepopulationofAthens,thatcityoflegendaryenlightenmentwasasmuchas35percentslaves.

“Whatstrikesmeishowimportantmigrationisasacauseandeffectinthegreatworldevents.”MarkMiller,co-authorofTheAgeofMigrationandaprofessorofpoliticalscienceattheUniversityofDelaware,toldmerecently.

Itisdifficulttothinkofanygreateventsthatdidnotinvolvemigration.Religionsspawnedpilgrimsorsettlers;warsdroverefugeesbeforethemandmadenewlandavailablefortheconquerors;politicalupheavalsdisplacedthousandsormillions;economicinnovationsdrewworkersandentrepreneurslikemagnets;environmentaldisasterslikefamineordiseasepushedtheirbedraggledsurvivorsanywheretheycouldreplanthope.

“It’spartofournature,thismovement,”Millersaid,“It’sjustafactofthehumancondition.”

26.WhichofthefollowingstatementsisINCORRECTaccordingtothefirstthreepassage

[A]Migrationexertsagreatimpactonpopulationchange.

[B]MigrationcontributestoMankind’sprogress.

[C]Migrationbringsaboutdesirableandundesirableeffects.

[D]Migrationmaynotbeaccompaniedbyhumanconflicts.

27.AccordingtoKingsleyDavis,migrationoccursasaresultofthefollowingreasonsEXCEPT.

[A]humanadaptability

[B]humanevolution

[C]culturaldifferences

[D]inter-groupinequalities

28.WhichofthefollowinggroupsisNOTmentionedasmigrantsinthepassage?

[A]Farmers.[B]Workers.[C]Settlers.[D]Colonizers.

29.Thereseemstobea(n)relationshipbetweengreateventsandmigration.

[A]loose[B]indefinite[C]causal[D]remote

30.TheauthorusestheexampleofAthenstoshowthat.

[A]Athenswasbuiltmainlybyslaves

[B]Athensenlightenmenthasnothingtodowithslaves

[C]Slavesaretoomanyatthattime

[D]Migrationneverstoppedevenbetweenbighumanconflicts

TEXT3

Economiescangettrulyricheronlythroughincreasedproductivitygrowth,eitherfromtechnologicaladvancesorfrommoreefficientproductionthankstointernationaltrade.Thuschina’sintegrationintotheworldeconomygenuinelycreateswealth.Thesamecannotbesaidofallthe“wealth”producedbystockmarketorhousingbubbles.

Inrecentyears,manypeoplearoundtheworldhavefounditeasiertomakemoneyfromrisingassetpricesthanfromworking.RogerBootle,themanagingdirectorofCapitalEconomics,aLondonconsultancy,callsthis“moneyfornothing.”Thesurgeinsharepricesinthelate1900sboostedtheshareholdingsofAmericanhouseholdsby$7trillionoverfouryears,equivalenttoalmosttwoyears’incomefromemployment—withoutrequiringanyeffort.Thevalueofthoseshareshassincefallen,butthedrophasbeenmorethanoffsetbysoaringhouseprices.OverthepastfouryearsthevalueofhomesinAmericahasincreasedbymorethan$5trillion,makingmanyAmericansfeelricherandlessinclinedtosave.Butmuchofthisnewwealthisanillusion.

Thefirstmistake,attheendofthe1990s,wastobelievethatshareswereactuallyworththeirquotedprice.Thesecondmistake,today,istoviewhigherhousepricesasincreasedwealth.Ariseinsharepricescan,intheory,reflectexpectedfuturegainsinprofits.Thestockmarketboomdidreflectsomegenuinewealthcreationintheshapeofproductivitygains,howeverexaggeratedtheymayhavebeen.Butrisinghousepricesdonotrepresentanincreaseinwealthforacountryasawhole.Theymerelyredistributewealthtohome-ownersfromnon-home-ownerswhomayhopetobuyinthefuture.Neverthelesstheillusionofnew-foundwealthhascausedhouseholdsasawholetosavelessandspendandborrowmore.

HistoricallylowinterestrateshavefuelledhousingbubblesinAmericaandmanyothercountriesaroundtheglobe.Atsomestagepriceswillfall,obligingconsumerstosavemuchmoreandspendless.TheunwindingofAmerica’svasteconomicimbalancescoulddepressgrowththereformanyyears,whereasChina’sslowdownlookslikelytobefairlybrief.

Oddlyenough,Chinamaybepartlytoblameforthiswealthillusioninricheconomies,becausecentralbankershavebeenslowtograsptheconsequencesofChina’srapidintegrationintotheworldeconomy.Byproducinggoodsmorecheaplyandsohelpingtoholddowninflationandinterestratesinricheconomies,Chinamayhaveindirectlyencouragedexcessivecreditcreationandasset-pricebubblesthere.Inflationhasremainedlow,butexcessliquiditynowflowsintothepricesofhousesandsharesratherthanthepricesofgoodsandservices.Andtokeepitsexchangeratepeggedtothedollar,ChinahasbeenbuyingvastamountsofAmericanTreasurybonds,whichhashelpedtodepressbondyieldsandmortgagerates,fuellingAmerica’spropertyboom.

31.Thebesttitleofthispassagemaybe

[A]NewmethodsofWealthproduction

[B]Chinaistoblameforeconomicbubbles

[C]Westerneconomiesarenotasrichastheyseemtobe

[D]Differenteconomicgrowthroads

32.Intheauthor’smind,RogerBootle’spointofviewmightbe

[A]Stronglymisleading[B]Abittoosarcastic[C]Totallyunacceptable[D]Nothingbuttruth

33.Accordingtotheauthor,themajordifferencebetweensharepricerisingandhousepricerisingis

[A]stockmarketscanwitnesssomerealwealthaccumulationwhilehouse-price-risingcannot.

[B]stockmarketshavemorebubbles.

[C]house-price-risingcausesfamiliestosavelessandtospendmore.

[D]stockpricesmaygodownbuthousepricesseldom.

34.Theword“brief”inthelastlineofthefourthparagraphmayprobablymean

[A]notimportant[B]shortintime[C]significant[D]unnecessary

35.Accordingtothepassage,whichofthefollowingstatementsistrue

[A]WesterncentralbankersarenotwellpreparedforChineseintegrationintotheworldeconomy.

[B]ChinahasbeenbuyinglargeamountofrealestatessothatAmericanpropertypricebooms.

[C]SinceChinaexportsproductsmorecheaply,itwillbeamajorfactortocounteractinflation.

[D]Therearealsohouse-pricebubblesinChina.

TEXT4

Ashumankindmovesintothethirdmillennium,itcanrightfullyclaimtohavebrokennewgroundinitsage-oldquesttomastertheenvironment.Thefantasticachievementsofmoderntechnologyandthespeedatwhichscientificdiscoveriesaretranslatedintotechnologicalapplicationsattesttothetriumphofhumanendeavour．

Atthesametime,however,someoftheseapplicationsthreatentounleashforcesoverwhichwehavenocontrol.Inotherwords,thenewtechnologyMannowbelievesallowshimtodominatethiswidercosmoscouldwellbeaFrankensteinmonsterwaitingtoturnonitsmaster.

Thisisanentirelynewssituationthatpromisestochangemanyoftheperceptionsgoverninglifeontheplanet.Themostacutechallengesfacingthefuturearelikelytobenotonlythosepittingmanagainsthisfellowman,butthoseinvolvinghumankind’sstruggletopreservetheenvironmentandensurethesustainabilityoflifeonearth.

Aconflictwagedtoensurethesurvivalofthehumanspeciesisboundtobringhumansclosertogether.Technologicalprogresshasthusprovedtobeadouble-edgedsword,givingrisetoanewformofconflict:aclashbetweenManandNature.

Thenewconflictismoredangerousthanthetraditionalonebetweenmanandhisfellowman,wheretheprotagonistsatleastsharedacommonlanguage.Butwhenitcomestothereactionsoftheecosystemstotheonslaughtofmoderntechnology,thereisnocommonlanguage.

Naturereactswithweatherdisturbances,withstormsandearthquakes,withstormsandearthquakes,withmutantvirusesandbacteria—thatis,withphenomenahavingnoapparentcauseandeffectrelationshipwiththemoderntechnologythatsupposedlytriggersthem.

AstechnologybecomesevermorepotentandNaturereactsevermoreviolently,thereisanurgentneedtorethinkhowbesttodealwiththegrowingcontradictionsbetweenManandNature.

Forastart,theplanet,andhenceallitsinhabitants,mustbeperceivedasanintegralwhole,notasamassdividedgeographicallyintotherichanddevelopedandthepoorandunderdeveloped.

Today,globalizationencompassesthewholeworldanddealswithitasanintegralunit.Itisnolongerpossibletosaythatconflicthasshiftedfromitstraditionaleast-westaxistoanorth-southaxis.Therealdividetodayisbetweensummitandbase,betweenstateandcivilsociety.

ThemeshstructureisparticularlyobviousontheInternet.WhileitistruethattodatetheInternetseemstobefavouringthemostdevelopedsectorsoftheinternationalcommunityoverthelessdeveloped,thisneednotalwaysbethecase.Indeed,itcouldeventuallyovercomethedisparitiesbetweentheprivilegedandtheunderdeveloped.

Ontheotherhand,themacro-wordinwhichweliveisexposedtodistortionsbecauseoftheunpredictableside-effectsofamicro-worldwedonotandcannottotallycontrol.

Thisraisestheneedforaglobalsystemofchecksandbalances,formandatoryrulesandconstraintsinourdealingswithNature,inshort,foranewstypeofvetodesignedtomanagewhatisincreasinglybecomingamaincontradictionofourtime:theonebetweentechnologyandecology.

Anewtypeofinternationalmachinerymustbesetinplacetocopewiththenewchallenges.Weneedanewlookattheharnessingofscientificdiscoveries,tomaximizetheirpositiveeffectsforthepromotionofhumanityasawholeandtominimizetheirnegativeeffects.Weneedanauthoritywithvetopowerstoforbidpracticesconducivetodecreasingtheozonehole,thepropagationofAIDS,globalwarming,desertification—anauthoritythatwilltacklesuchglobalproblems.

Thereshouldbenodiscontinuityintheglobalmachineryresponsibleforworldorder.TheUNinitspresentformmayfallfarshortofwhatisrequiredofit,anditmaybeundemocraticanddetrimentaltomostcitizensintheworld,butitsabsencewouldbeworse.Andsowehavetoholdontotheinternationalorganizationevenaswepushforwardforitscompleterestructuring.

OurbesthopewouldbethatthefunctionsofthepresentUnitedNationsaregraduallytakenoverbythenewmachineryofvetopowerrepresentinggenuinedemocraticglobalization.

36.ThementionofMan’svictoryoverNatureatthebeginningofthepassageistohighlight.

[A]anewcreativepowers[B]Man’screativepowers

[C]Theroleofmoderntechnology[D]Man’sground-breakingwork

37.Accordingtotheauthor,thecurrentconflictismoredangerousas

[A]naturewillpunishhumanbeingsmoreseverely.

[B]manandnaturecannotsharethesamecommunicativechannel.

[C]technologicaladvancesaretobeadouble-edgedsword.

[D]Humanbeingscannotunitetogether.

38.Accordingtothepassage,whichisNOTaresponsibilityoftheproposednewinternationalauthority?

[A]Monitoringeffectsofscientificdiscoveries.

[B]Dealingwithworldwideenvironmentalissues.

[C]VetoinghumanattemptstoconquerNature.

[D]Authorizingeffortstoimprovehumanhealth.

39.WhencommentingonthepresentroleoftheUN,theauthorexpresseshis.

[A]dissatisfaction[B]disillusionment[C]objection[D]doubt

40.Thebesttitleofthistextmayprobablybe

[A]ManandNature:TheEverlastingConflict

[B]MankindintheNewMillennium

[C]UNMustBeReformed

[D]NewApproachesonMan-NatureConflict:aMorePowerfulGlobalOrganization

PartB

Directions:

Inthefollowingarticle,somesentenceshavebeenremoved.ForQuestions41-45,choosethemostsuitableparagraphfromthelistA-Ftofitintoeachofthenumberedblank.Thereisoneextrachoicethatdoesnotfitinanyofthegaps.MarkyouranswersonANSWERSHEET1.(10points)

It's10p.m.Youmaynotknowwhereyourchildis,butthechipdoes.(41)____________________Onceparamedicsarrive,thechipwillalsobeabletotelltherescueworkerswhichdrugslittleJohnnyorJanieisallergicto.Atthehospital,thechipwilltelldoctorshisorhercompletemedicalhistory.

Andofcourse,whenyouarrivetopickupyourchild,settlingthehospitalbillwithyourhealthinsurancepolicywillbeasimplematterofwavingyourownchip-theoneembeddedinyourhand.

Tosome,thismaysoundfar-fetched.Butthetechnologyforsuchchipsisnolongerthestuffofsciencefiction.AnditmaysoonoffermanyotherbenefitsbesideslocatinglostchildrenorelderlyAlzheimerpatients.

"Downtheline,itcouldbeusedascreditcardsandsuch,"saysChrisHablesGray,aprofessorofculturalstudiesofscienceandtechnologyattheUniversityofGreatFallsinMontana."Alotofpeoplewon'thavetocarrywalletsanymore,"hesays."Whattheimplicationsare[forthistechnology],inthelongrun,isprofound."

(42)__________________________

"Anytechnologyofthiskindiseasilyabusiveofpersonalprivacy,"saysLeeTien,seniorstaffattorneyfortheElectronicFrontierFoundation."Ifakidistrackable,doyouwantotherpeopletobeabletotrackyourkid?It'sadouble-edgedsword."

Theresearchofembeddingmicrochipsisn'tentirelynew.(43)________________

ButAppliedDigitalSolutions,Inc.inPalmBeach,Fla.,isoneofthelatesttotryandpushtheexperimentsbeyondtherealmofacademicresearchandintothehands-andbodies-ofordinaryhumans.

(44)_______________________Whenscannedbyanearbyreader,theembeddedchipyieldsthedata-sayanIDnumberthatlinkstoacomputerdatabasefilecontainingmoredetailedinformation.

Mostembeddedchipdesignsareso-calledpassivechipswhichyieldinformationonlywhenscannedbyanearbyreader.Butactivechips-suchastheproposedDigitalAngelofthefuture-willneedtobeamoutinformationallthetime.(45)___________________

Anotheradditionalhurdle,developingtinyGPSreceiverchipsthatcouldbeembeddedyetstillbesensitiveenoughtoreceivesignalsfromthousandsofmilesoutinspace.

Inadditiontotechnicalhurdles,manysuspectthatallsortsoflegalandprivacyissueswouldhavetobeclearedaswell.

[A]Backin1998,BrianWarwick,aprofessorofcyberneticsatReadingUniversityinLondon,implantedachipintohisarmasanexperimenttoseeifWarwick'scomputercouldwirelesslytrackhiswhereaboutswiththeuniversity'sbuilding.

[B]ThecompanysaysithasrecentlyappliedtotheFoodandDrugAdministrationforpermissiontobegintestingitsVeriChipdeviceinhumans.Aboutthesizeofagrainofrice,themicrochipcanbeencodedwithbitsofinformationandimplantedinhumansunderalayerofskin.

[C]Indeed,somearealreadywonderingwhatthissortoftechnologymaydotothesenseofpersonalprivacyandliberty.

[D]Andthatmeansdesignerswillhavetodevelopsomesortofpowersourcethatcanprovideacontinuoussourceofenergy,yetbesmallenoughtobeembeddedwiththechips.

[E]Tinychipsknowyournameeasily.

[F]Everywomandreamsofreceivingahuge,sparklingandpricelessdiamondthatbecontrolledbytinychips.Nowscientistshavedevelopedthemostusefuldiamond.

[G]Thechipwillalsoknowifyourchildhasfallenandneedsimmediatehelp.

PartC

Directions:

ReadthefollowingtextcarefullyandthentranslatetheunderlinedsegmentsintoChinese.YourtranslationshouldbewrittenclearlyonANSWERSHEET2(10points)

46)Ahundredyearsago,whensportwasconfinedlargelytogamesplayedinthebackyardoronthefarm,onecouldhardlyhaveimaginedtheattentionthatithascometoreceiveinthetwentiethcentury.Today,theimportanceofsportinsocietyisclearlydemonstratedbythefactthateventheCBSeveningnewscanbepreemptedforthefinalofatennismatch.Asurveyconductedinthelate1980srevealedthatfully81percentofalladultsfollowsomeorganizedsport,mostlyontelevision.Andthephenomenonofweekend“sportswidows”—womenabandonedbytheirhusbandsforweekendsportsontelevision—isenteringitsthirdgeneration.

Sportisdefinedsociologicallyascompetitivephysicalactivitythatisperformedunderestablishedrules.Likeallsocialinstitutions,sportservesnumerousfunctions.First,itprovidessocietywithavastarrayofleisure-timeactivitiesforallsegmentsofthepopulation.47)Althoughitisanoverstatementtosaythatmodernsocietyisaleisuresociety,therehasbeenasignificantincreaseintheamountofnon-worktimethatmostpeoplehaveavailable.Furthermore,recreationalactivityhasbecomeincreasinglynecessaryinasocietyinwhichthevastmajorityofjobsprovidelittleornophysicalactivity.Second,sportprovidesanoutletforenergiesthat,ifnotdiverted,couldcauseseriousstrainonthesocialorder.48)Forbothfanandparticipant,sportpermitstheexpressionofemotions(suchasangerandfrustration)inwaysthatareacceptableto,evenencouragedby,society.Finally,sportprovidessocietywithrolemodels.Athletesatalllevels,butespeciallyfamousathletes,provideexamplesofconductandemploymentofskillsthatotherscanemulate.

Althoughsportspromotemanypositiveaspectsofasociety,conflicttheoristsarequicktopointoutthattheyalsoreflectsociety’sinequalities.Likemostothersocialinstitutions,sportsarecharacterizedbyinequalitiesofclass,raceandgender.Forexample,certainsports—suchaspolo,tennis,andskiing—havetraditionallyappealedtothewealthy.Othersports—suchasboxing,whichisoftenassociatedwithurbanpoverty—aredistinctlylowerclassinoriginandparticipation.49)Ingeneral,membersofthelowerandworkingclasseshavetendedtoparticipateinsportslikebaseballandbasketball:gamesthatrequirelittlemorethanafield,aball,andsomeplayers.

Althoughsportissometimesconsideredexemptfromracialinequality,sociologicalevidencehasshownthisnottobethecase.50)AlthoughitistruethatnonwhitesinAmericansocietyhaveenjoyedgreateropportunitiesforhighincomesinprofessionalsportsthaninotheroccupations,itisalsotruethatvirtuallyallmanagersandownersofsportsteamarewhite.Therearefewnonwhitesportscasters,administrators,umpires,orreferees.Furthermore,nonwhitesareallbutabsent(evenasplayers)fromallprofessionalsportsexceptbaseball,basketball,boxing,andfootball.

SectionIIIWriting

PartA

51.Directions:

Youruniversitylibraryintendstoimproveitsserviceandfacilities.Writealettertothechieflibrarianto

1