高考英语二轮专题复习 提分训练“阅读理解”政治经济类(真题,含解析)2

（2012年真题，含解析）

Passage 1 (2012·广东·D)

Sports account for a growing amount of income made on the sales of commercial time by television companies.Many television companies have used sports to attract viewers from particular sections of the general public,and then they have sold audiences to advertisers.

An attraction of sport programs for the major U.S. media companies is that events are often held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons—the slowest time periods of the week for general television viewing.Sport events are the most popular weekend programs, especially among male viewers who may not watch much television at other times during the week.This means the television networks are able to sell advertising time at relatively high prices during what normally would be dead time for programming.

Media corporations also use sports to attract commercial sponsors that might take their advertising dollars elsewhere if television stations did not report certain sports.The people in the advertising departments of major corporations realize that sports attract male viewers.They also realize that most business travelers are men and that many men make family decisions on the purchases of computers, cars and life insurance.

Golf and tennis are special cases for television programming.These sports attract few viewers,and the ratings(收视率)are unusually low.However,the audience for these sports is attractive to certain advertisers.It is made up of people from the highest income groups in the United States,including many lawyers and business managers.This is why television reporting of golf and tennis is sponsored by companies selling high-priced cars,business and personal computers,and holiday trips.This is also why the networks continue to carry these programs regardless of low ratings.Advertisers are willing to pay high fees to reach high-income consumers and those managers who make decisions to buy thousands of “company cars” and computers.With such viewers,these programs don’t need high ratings to stay on the air.

【文章大意】本文主要介绍了在电视节目低收视率的情况下,体育节目就凸显出越来越高的商业价值。

41.Television sport programs on weekend afternoons . A.result in more sport events B.get more viewers to play sports

C.make more people interested in television D.bring more money to the television networks 【解析】选D。细节理解题。由第二段最后一句“This means the television networks are able to sell advertising time at relatively high prices during what normally would be dead time for programming.”可知周末下午的体育节目为电视网络带来了更多的收入。 42. Why would weekend afternoons become dead time without sport programs?

A.Because there would be few viewers.

B.Because the advertisers would be off work. C.Because television programs would go slowly.

D.Because viewers would pay less for watching television. 【解析】选A。推理判断题。由第二段中“...Saturday and Sunday afternoons—the slowest time periods of the week for general television viewing.”可知周末下午收视率最低。 43.In many families,men make decisions on .

A.holiday trips B.sports viewing

C.television shopping D.expensive purchases

【解析】选D。细节理解题。由第三段中“...many men make family decisions on the purchases of computers, cars and life insurance.”可知男性在家庭购买电脑、汽车和寿险方面拥有最终决定权,也就是贵重物品。

44.The ratings are not important for golf and tennis programs because . A.their advertisers are carmakers

B.their viewers are attracted by sports C.their advertisers target at rich people D.their viewers can afford expensive cars 【解析】选C。推理判断题。由第四段中“...the audience for these sports is attractive to certain advertisers. It is made up of people from the highest income groups in the United States...”可知。

45. What is the passage mainly about?

A.Television ratings are determined by male viewers. B.Rich viewers contribute most to television companies.

C.Sports are gaining importance in advertising on television. D.Commercial advertisers are the major sponsors of sport events.

【解析】选B。主旨大意题。本文以体育节目来提高收视率为例,说明主题:高收入观众最有助于电视公司的发展。 【长难句分析】Media corporations also use sports to attract commercial sponsors that might take their advertising dollars elsewhere if television stations did not report certain sports.

分析：本句是一个复合句。本句主干是Media corporations also use sports to attract commercial sponsors。to attract commercial sponsors为不定式短语作目的状语。句中that引导定语从句修饰先行词commercial sponsors。if引导条件状语从句。 译文：媒体集团也会用体育来吸引商业赞助人,如果电视台不报道某些赛事的话,这些商业赞助人也许会把广告费用投到其他的地方。 Passage 2 (2012·江苏·B)

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan sees an epidemic (流行病) sweeping across America’s farmland.It has little to do with the usual challenges, such as flood, rising fuel prices and crop-eating insects.The country’s farmers are getting older, and there are fewer people standing in line to take their place.National agricultural census (普查) figures show that the fastest-growing group of farmers is the part over 65.Merrigan is afraid the average age will be even higher when the 2012 statistics are completed.

Merrigan, a former college professor, is making stops at universities across

the country in hopes of encouraging more students to think about careers in agriculture.Aside from trying to stop the graying of America’s farmers, her work is made tougher by a recent blog posting that put agriculture at No.1 on a list of “useless” college degrees.Top federal agriculture officials are talking about the posting, and it has the attention of agricultural organizations across the country.

“There couldn’t be anything that’s more incorrect,”Merrigan said.“We know that there aren’t enough qualified graduates to fill the jobs that are out there in American agriculture.”

In addition, a growing world population that some experts predict will require 70% more food production by 2050, she said.

“I truly believe we’re at a golden age of agriculture.Global demand is at an all-time record high, and global supplies are at all-time record lows,”said Matt Rush, director of the Texas Farm Bureau.“Production costs are going to be valuable enough that younger people are going to have the opportunity to be involved in agriculture.”

The Department of Agriculture has programs aimed at developing more farmers and at increasing interest in locally grown food.The National Young Farmers’ Coalition has also been pushing for state and federal policy changes to make it easier for new farmers.

Ryan Best, president of Future Farmers of America, has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the country and visiting with high school students about careers in agriculture.The 21-year-old Best hopes his message—that this is a new time in agriculture—will motivate the next generation to turn around the statistics.“Never before have we had the innovations (创新) in technology which have led to agriculture in this country being the most efficient it has ever been,”he said.“There’s really a place for everybody to fit in.”

【文章大意】文章主要介绍美国农业人口缺乏,从事农业者年龄偏大。一些呼吁大学生以及其他年轻人从事农业生产。

59. What is the new challenge to American agriculture? A. Fewer and older farmers. B. Higher fuel prices. C. More natural disasters. D. Lower agricultural output.

【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据第一段的第二、三句It has little to do with the usual challenges, such as flood, rising fuel prices and crop-eating insects. The country’s farmers are getting older, and there are fewer people standing in line to take their place.可知。

60. Why is Merrigan visiting universities across the country? A.To draw federal agriculture officials’ attention. B.To select qualified agriculture graduates. C.To clarify a recent blog posting.

D.To talk more students into farming careers.

【解析】选D。细节理解题。根据第二段的第一句Merrigan, a former college professor, is making stops at universities across the country in hopes of encouraging more

students to think about careers in agriculture.可知。

61.According to Matt Rush, American agriculture will provide opportunities for younger people because .

A.the government will cover production costs B.global food supplies will be even lower

C.investment in agriculture will be profitable D.America will increase its food export

【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据倒数第三段的最后一句“Production costs are going to be valuable enough that younger people are going to have the opportunity to be involved in agriculture.”可知。

62. What do the underlined words “to turn around the statistics”in the last paragraph mean?

A.To re-analyze the result of the national census. B.To increase agricultural production.

C.To bring down the average age of farmers. D.To invest more in agriculture.

【解析】选C。推理判断题。to turn around the statistics 的本意是“将统计数字翻转过来”, 本文前面一直介绍农业人口缺乏,从事农业者年龄偏大,因此,此处“将统计数字翻转过来”意味着使从事农业者年龄下降。

【长难句分析】1. The 21-year-old Best hopes his message—that this is a new time in agriculture—will motivate the next generation to turn around the statistics. 分析：两个破折号之间的内容是对前面名词message的解释。motivate意为“激发,激励”。 译文：21岁的百斯特希望他的话“这是农业的新时代”将会激发下一代,以使从事农业者的年龄下降。

2. Never before have we had the innovations in technology which have led to agriculture in this country being the most efficient it has ever been.

分析：Never before have we是否定词提前的部分倒装句;which have...是定语从句,先行词为innovations;其后是结构lead to sth. (sth.’s) doing,意为“导致……”。 译文：在此之前,我们国家在农业技术上的创新从来没有使农业实现最高效的发展。 Passage 3 (2012·陕西卷·A)

What brings a nation together?Of the four choices—shared values, language, history, and religion,it’s shared values.In our latest poll(调查),seven out of 16 countries chose values as the greatest factor(因素)bringing a nation together,and six preferred language.Both choices scored high in the poll,suggesting that our values and how we express them are closely linked.Still,history was not forgotten in some countries,particularly in Mexico and Russia.Even Canada and the United States chose national histories as the second-most important factor uniting their people.The biggest surprise?Not one country picked religion as its top choice.

Respect your elders In most countries, the oldest generation considered values more important to a nation than did those who are under 45 years old. Do you speak Canadian? Language scored lower in Canada than in all other countries polled,perhaps because the country speaks two official languages, French and English. Church and state Most people polled do not connect their religious beliefs to their national pride.Religion ranked last in 13 countries—with France scoring it at 1%,the lowest of all. 【文章大意】本文介绍了最近的一项调查:是什么把一个国家凝聚在一起?调查结果显示在四个选项(共有的价值观、语言、历史和宗教)中,居首位的是shared values,其次是language。

46. According to the poll, what was the most important factor in bringing a nation together?

A. Language. B. Values. C. History. D. Religion. 【解析】选B。细节理解题。根据第一段的What brings a nation together?...it’s shared values.和In our latest poll, seven out of 16 countries chose values as the greatest factor bringing a nation together.可知。

47. In which country did language score the lowest in their national pride?

A.Canada. B.Mexico. C.France. D.America.

【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据Do you speak Canadian?段落中,Language scored lower in Canada than in all other countries polled...可知,这里是比较级表示最高级的意思。 48.According to the charts,shared values and language were considered equally important in .

A.Australia B.Brazil C.China D.India

【解析】选D。推理判断题,仔细看列出的表格,可以看到在印度shared values和language的百分比都是32%。由此可以推断出:在印度,shared values和language 被认为是同等重要的。

【长难句分析】Language scored lower in Canada than in all other countries polled,perhaps because the country speaks two official languages,French and English. 分析：此句是一个含有because 引导的原因状语从句的主从复合句。在主句中polled 是过去分词作定语,修饰all other countries;lower in Canada than in all other countries 是比较级表示最高级的用法,相当于:In Canada language scored the lowest in all the polled countries.。

译文：加拿大在语言这一项比其他所有被调查的国家得分都低,这或许是因为加拿大有两种官方语言:法语和英语。

Passage 4 (2012·重庆卷·E)

In his 1930 essay“Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren”, John Keynes,a famous economist,wrote that human needs fall into two classes:absolute needs,which are independent of what others have,and relative needs,which make us feel superior to our fellows. He thought that although relative needs may indeed be insatiable(无止境的),this is not true of absolute needs.

Keynes was surely correct that only a small part of total spending is decided by the desire for superiority. He was greatly mistaken, however, in seeing this desire as the only source of insatiable demands.

Decisions to spend are also driven by ideas of quality which can influence the demand for almost all goods, including even basic goods like food. When a couple goes out for an anniversary dinner, for example, the thought of feeling superior to others probably never comes to them. Their goal is to share a special meal that stands out from other meals.

There are no obvious limits to the escalation of demands for quality. For example, Porsche, a famous car producer, has a model which was considered perhaps the best sports car on the market. Priced at over $120, 000, it handles perfectly well and has great speed acceleration. But in 2004, the producer introduced some changes which made the model slightly better in handling and acceleration. People who really care about cars find these small improvements exciting. To get them, however, they must pay almost four times the price.

By placing the desire to be superior to others at the heart of his description of insatiable demands, Keynes actually reduced such demands. However, the desire for higher quality has no natural limits. 【文章大意】John Keynes在1930年提出了“人们的相对需求是无止境的,而绝对需求则不然”的观点。然而本文作者却用事实证明了绝对需求也是无止境的。

72.According to the passage,John Keynes believed that . A.desire is the root of both absolute and relative needs B.absolute needs come from our sense of superiority C.relative needs alone lead to insatiable demands D.absolute needs are stronger than relative needs

【解析】选C。推理判断题。由第一段的最后一句和第二段可知,John Keynes相信只有相对的需求是无止境的。

73. What do we know about the couple in Paragraph 3? A.They want to show their superiority. B.They find specialty important to meals.

C.Their demands for food are not easily satisfied.

D.Their choice of dinner is related to ideas of quality.

【解析】选D。推理判断题。作者在第三段第一句中提出追求事物的质量也是决定消费的因素,然后用一对夫妇吃晚餐的事例来证明这一观点。所以说这对夫妇对晚餐的选择与质量观念有关。

74. What does the underlined word“escalation”in Paragraph 4 probably mean? A. Understanding. B. Increase. C.Difference. D. Study.

【解析】选B。词义猜测题。由第四段的事例可知,人们对质量的需求是不断地增长的,即对于质量的需求的增长是没有明显的。

75.The author of the passage argues that . A.absolute needs have no limits

B.demands for quality are not insatiable C.human desires influence ideas of quality D.relative needs decide most of our spending 【解析】选A。推理判断题。由第二段第二句可知,作者认为“只有相对的需求是无止境的”这一观点是错的,言外之意,绝对的需求也是无止境的。而在最后一段最后一句中,作者又明确提出了追求质量的需求(即绝对需求)是没有的。故作者认为绝对需求是没有的。 【长难句分析】In his 1930 essay“Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren”, John Keynes,a famous economist,wrote that human needs fall into two classes: absolute needs,which are independent of what others have,and relative needs,which make us feel superior to our fellows.

分析：本句是个复合句。句子主干是:John Keynes wrote...。句中a famous economist是John Keynes的同位语;that引导的是宾语从句,作wrote的宾语;which are independent of what others have和which make us feel superior to our fellows是定语从句,分别修饰先行词absolute needs和relative needs。

译文：John Keynes在1930年写的论文《我们后代的经济前景》中写道:人类的需求可以分为两类——一类是绝对的需求,这种需求是与别人无关的;另一类是相对的需求,这种需求的满足能够使我们感觉比他人更优越。