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2012 年 12 月大学英语六级阅读真题试卷
Part Ⅳ Reading Comprehension （Reading in Depth） （25 minutes）
Section A
Directions: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read
the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the
fewest possiblewords. Pleasewriteyour answers onAnswer Sheet 2.
Questions47to51arebasedonthefollowingpassage.
America continues toget fatter, according toa new report onthe nation's weight crisis.
Statistics for 2008-2010show that 16states are experiencing steep increases in adult obesity, and
none has seen a notabledownturn inthe lastfour years.
Even Coloradans, long thenation's slimmestcitizens, are gaining excess pounds. Withan
obese population of19.8%, it is theonly statewithan adult obesity ratebelow 20%.But injust the
last four years, theranks of theobese even inColorado havegrown 0.7%.
Getting out oftheproblem willnot be simple, said Jeffrey Levi, executivedirector ofthe Trust
for America's Health. Thereport emphasized theneed fora range ofmeasures, including boosting
physical activity inschools, encouraging adults to get out andexercise, broadening access to
affordable healthy foods and using "pricing strategies" to encourage Americans tomake betterfood
choices.
"Until thegovernment takes onthefood industry, we'll continue to seetheappalling numbers
in this report," said Kelly Brownell, directorof YaleUniversity's RuddCenter for FoodPolicy and
Obesity. "Government could start bychanging agricultural subsidies,bynot making it financially
attractivefor companies to market unhealthy foods, byplacing serious restrictions onmarketing to
children, and with financial policies that make healthy foods cost less and unhealthy foods cost
more."
About 30years after the United States started seeing asteep risein theweight ofchildren and
adults, theillnesses most closely linked toobesity havebegun adramatic upturn. Diabete(糖尿
病)rates in 12states have jumped significantly, nowaffecting as manyas 12.2%of adults in
Alabama--the statewith thehighest obesity rates.
Obesity remains acondition disproportionately affecting those with pooreducation andlow
income, and closely tied to minoritystatus. Among African American adults,obesity topped 40/ain
15states. Among Latinos, ittopped 30%in23states.
In contrast, among white adults,obesity rates were higher than 3O%inonly fourstates, and in
nostatetopped 32.1%. Nearly athird of high school dropouts are obese, compared with 21.5% of
thosewho graduated from college ortechnical school.
For children, thepicture from thereport is slightly better, said Dr. Francine Kaufman, an
obesity specialist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. "Children are forthemost part holding
steady." shesaid.
淘宝店铺：https://shop499712503.taobao.com/ 店主旺旺：慧园文化Kaufman added that thereport's clear message-that obesity takes itsgreatest tollinlow-income
and minoritycommunities-underscores that "assistanceprograms are definitely required" to help
thosepopulations.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
47.Compared with peoplein otherstates. Coloradans have longbeen considered relatively____.
48.The newreport advises encouraging Americans tobuyhealthy foods byadopting____.
49.Tocurb theincreasing obesity rate, thegovernment should firstof all adjustits____.
50.What has happened intheUS shows that there is ____between diabetes and obesity.
51.Whoare mostaffected byobesity in theUnited States according to Francine Kaufman?
Section B
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
onAnswerSheet 2with asinglelinethroughthecentre.
PassageOne
Questions 52to56are basedon thefollowing passage.
Is 20th-century capitalism failing 21st-century society? Members of theglobal elitedebated
that unusual question at the annual World EconomicForum
It is encouraging that more than three years sincetheglobal financial crisis, abelated (迟到的)
process ofsoul-searching has begun in search oftheright lessons tolearn from it.
There is a great difference, however, between being willing totalk about an issueandbeing
ready to act.
It is a difference between thosewho stillbelieve that all governments can dois get out ofthe
way andthosewho believethere is areal role forgovernments infirst reviving oureconomies, and
then settingtheright rules forfuture success.
If welearned anything from the1930s, it was that governments cannot shrug theirshoulders
and watch as theirown people are being laid off.
Nor should weforget thecauses ofthecurrent growth and debt crisisas weseek toput our
economies onamore sustainablefooting
Both theUnited States and Britain suffered because their economies were overly reliant on the
financial sector's artificial profits;living standards for themany worsened whilethe economic
rewards went to thetop 1percent; acapitalist model encouraged short-term decision-making
oriented toward quarterly profits rather than long-term health; and interest groups likegiant banks
were deemed too bigto fail ortoo powerful to challenge. Weneed torecognizethat the
trickle-down promise(benefits given to therich willeventually bepassed onto thepoor)of
conservativetheorists has turned into agravity-defying realityin which wealth has flowed upward
disproportionately and. toooften, undeservedly. To address the problemrequires fresh thinking
from governments about howpeople train for theirworking lives and what aliving wage should be
淘宝店铺：https://shop499712503.taobao.com/ 店主旺旺：慧园文化Governments can set better-not necessarily more-rules to encourage productivebusinesses that
make andsell real products and services. Weneed rules that discourage thepredatory(掠夺的)
behavior ofthose seeking thefast buckthrough hostiletakeovers andasset-stripping thatdonot
have theinterests oftheshareholders, the employees ortheeconomy at heart. Andgovernments
must remember they are elected toserve thepeople, not thepowerful lobbies who can pay for
access or influence. Too often thereal enemies ofmarket capitalism are someofthe leading
beneficiaries ofthe current model, which favors big monopoliesand consumerexploitation. I
believe that changing the rules ofcapitalism will require a change inwhat citizens expect and ask of
politics. Thequestion is notso much whether 20th-century capitalismis failing 21st-century society
but whether politics can rise tothe challenge ofchanging a flawed economic model.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
52.What importantlesson could bedrawn from the 1930s?
A)The government should play a rolein reviving theeconomy.
B) Thegovernment should providesubsidies fortheunemployed.
C)Thegovernment should notignore theroleof economists in thenation's economy.
D)The government should not brush asideideas from theWorld EconomicForum.
53.What isone ofthefactors contributing to therecent financial crisis in theUnited States and
Britain?
A)Their business giants'neglect of attending to long-term planning.
B) Theirgovernments' unnecessary intervention ineconomic affairs.
C)Theirgovernments failing to provideassistance for thepoorandneedy.
D)Their economies relying heavily ontheoperations ofthefinancial sector.
54.What does theauthor sayabout theso-called trickle-down promise?
A)It defies conventional wisdom.
B) It has failed to materialize.
C)It willbenefit both therich and thepooronce realized.
D)It will prove fatal to capitalist economy once broken.
55.What rules does theauthorsay governments should set to guarantee sustainableeconomic
development?
A)Rules that help businesses to expand fast but in ahealthy way.
B) Rulesthat discourage businesses from making quick money.
C)Rulesthat encourage businesses tomake and sell real products and services.
D)Rules that ensure theincrease ofshareholders' dividends and employees' pay.
56.What shouldthe government doabout the current economy according tothe author?
A)Eliminatethereal enemies ofmarket capitalism.
淘宝店铺：https://shop499712503.taobao.com/ 店主旺旺：慧园文化B) Undertaketo repairtheflaws in theeconomic model.
C)Prevent thelobbies from exertingtoo muchinfluence.
D)Diminishthe rolepolitics plays innational economy.
PassageTwo
Questions 57to61are basedon thefollowing passage.
Women are halfthe populationbut only 15%ofboard members at bigAmerican firms, and
l0%in Europe. Companies that fish inonly half thetalent pool willlose outto thosethat cast their
net morewidely. There is also evidence that mixed boards makebetter decisions.
Mindful ofthis, European countries are passing laws that would force companies to promote
more women to theexecutivesuite. Anew French law requires listed firms toreserve 40% ofboard
seats forwomen by2017.Norway and Spain have similarlaws; Germany isconsidering one. The
European Parliament declared this monththat such quotas shouldbe applied throughout the
European Union.
There are two main arguments forcompulsory quotas. Oneis that themen who dominate
corporate boards are hopelessly sexist:theypromote peoplelikethemselves and ignoreany female
talent.
The second argument is moresubtle. Talented executives need mentors (导师)to helpthem
climb theladder. Maledirectors mentoryoung men butare reluctant to get friendly with young
women, lestthe relationship bemisinterpreted. Quotas will break thisvicious cycle byputtinglots
ofwomen at thetop, who can then offer theirsisters aleg up.
There may be something inboth arguments, but inmost rich countries sexismis nolonger the
main obstacle towomen's careers. Children are. Most women takecareer breaks tolook after them.
Many care for elderly relatives, too.One studyfound thattwo-thirds of American women had at
somepoint switched from full-timework to part-timeor flexibletimetobalance work andfamily.
Such choices make itharder forwomen togain the experience necessary tomake itto thevery top.
What ismore, big companies are increasingly global. Many want aboss who has worked in
more than onecountry. Such foreign postings disrupt families; many women turn them down. And
many, anticipating acareer break at somepoint in thefuture, enter fields where theirskillswill not
quickly become outdated, such as lawor human resources. Somelawyers make good chief
executives. But firms often want peoplewith financial oroperational experience for thetop jobs,
and thesefields are stillmale-dominated.
Quotas are too blunt atool forsuch atangled problem. Thewomen companies are compelled
to put onboards are unlikelyto beas useful as thosethey place there voluntarily. Quotas force firms
either topad theirboards with token non-executivedirectors, or toallocate real power onthebasis
ofsex rather than merit. Enforcing quotas for women has led to large numbers ofinexperienced
women being appointed to boards, and seriously damaged thosefirms' performance.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
57.What will happento acompany ifmen dominateits executiveboard?
A)Its talent poo1will dry out sooner. C)Its women employees will complain.
淘宝店铺：https://shop499712503.taobao.com/ 店主旺旺：慧园文化B) Its competitiveness will beweakened. D) It isboundtomake unwisedecisions.
58.What seems to prevent women from becoming board members apart from sexism?
A)Many ofthem lack thecourage to facethechallenge inthe board room.
B) Maledirectors are afraid of women's potential threat to theirauthority.
C)Few ofthem have thetraining and qualifications needed for executiveduties.
D)Male directors refrain from giving them guidance to avoidmisunderstanding.
59.What does theauthor sayis thereal barrier to women's careers?
A)An apparent lack of necessary legislation. C)The burden of taking care oftheir family.
B) Fierce competitionfrom malecolleagues. D) Thewidespread sexismin theworkplace.
60.Whydomany women choose to enter such fields as law orhuman resources?
A)They allowwomen career breaks if need be.
B) They can bring a woman's talent intofull play.
C)They offer high salaries and attractive benefits.
D)They pave thewayfor women to become CEOs.
61.What does theauthor thinkof thepractice ofenforcing quotas forwomen executives?
A)It is asimplesolutionto a tangled problem. C)It helps filltheexecutiveboard with talents.
B) It isan effective toolto combat sexism. D) It adversely affects a firm's performance.
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