大学英语阅读精选25篇.docx

1、大学英语阅读精选25篇Passage 1 No one prior to World War more trenchantly analyzed the philosophical differences between utopians and realists than did E.H.Carr in his celebrated work, which, although published in 1939, did not have its impact in America until after World War. Carr used the term utopians for

2、idealists who placed emphasis on international law and organization and on the influence of morality and public opinion in the affairs of nations. He probably did not intend the more pejorative connotation that attached to the term utopians after World War as nave opponents of power politics expound

3、ed by realists. Indeed, since the end of the Cold War, the idealist concept of the harmony of national interests in peace has received new attention in a more recent neoliberal-neorealist debate. The failures of the League of Nations in the 1930s cast doubt on the harmony of interest in peace, which

4、 appeared to accord with the interests of satisfied, status-quo powers with democratic governments, but not with the perceived needs of revisionists, totalitarians, authoritarian states seeking boundary changes, enhanced status, greater power, and, especially in the case of Nazi Germany, revenge for

5、 the humiliation of the post-World War settlement imposed by the Versailles treaty. Contrary to the utopian assumption, national self-determination did not always produce representative governments. Instead, the overthrow of the old monarchical order gave rise in many places, including Russia, to a

6、more pervasive and oppressive totalitarian states. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939 between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany set the stage for Adolph Hitlers invasion of Poland, the outbreak of World War, the partition of Poland, and the absorption of Baltic states into the Soviet Union,

7、all in flagrant contravention of the standards of international conduct set forth in utopian theory.1.Who took a strong analysis of the philosophical differences between utopians and realists?A.Adolph Hitler didB.E.H.Carr didC.Neorealist didD.Molotov did2.What did utopian mean in Carrs opinion? A.Id

8、ealists who placed emphasis on international law and organization and on the influence of morality and public opinion in the affairs of nations.B.Nave opponents of power politics.C.Status-quo powersD.Revisionists.3.What is the consequence of national self-determination?A.Producing representative gov

9、ernments.B.Giving rise to a more pervasive and oppressive totalitarian states.C.Both A and BD.Sometimes A, sometimes B.4.What was the influence of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939?A.to set the stage for Adolph Hitlers invasion of PolandB.leading to the outbreak of World War C.a cause of th

10、e partition of PolandD.all of A,B and C5.Which one can serve as the title of this passage?A.Post-World War RealismB.Post-World War UtopiansC.E.H.Carr and the Crisis of World PoliticsD.The Influence of Versailles Treatypassage 2Beyond marking the seasons, the chief interests that actuated the Babylon

11、ian astronomer in his observations were astrological. After quoting Diodorus to the effect that the Babylonian priests observed the position of certain stars in order to cast horoscopes, Thompson tells us that from a very early day the very name Chaldean became synonymous with magician. He adds that

12、 from Mesopotamia, by way of Greece and Rome, a certain amount of Babylonian astrology made its way among the nations of the west, and it is quite probable that many superstitions which we commonly record as the peculiar product of western civilization took their origin from those of the early dwell

13、ers on the alluvial lands of Mesopotamia. One Assurbanipal, king of Assyria B.C. 668-626, added to the royal library at Nineveh his contribution of tablets, which included many series of documents which related exclusively to the astrology of the ancient Babylonians, who in turn had borrowed it with

14、 modifications from the Sumerian invaders of the country. Among these must be mentioned the series which was commonly called the Day of Bel, and which was decreed by the learned to have been written in the time of the great Sargon I., king of Agade, 3800 B.C. With such ancient works as these to guid

15、e them, the profession of deducing omens from daily events reached such a pitch of importance in the last Assyrian Empire that a system of making periodical reports came into being. By these the king was informed of all the occurrences in the heavens and on earth, and the results of astrological stu

16、dies in respect to after events. The heads of the astrological profession were men of high rank and position, and their office was hereditary. The variety of information contained in these reports is best gathered from the fact that they were sent from cities as far removed from each other as Assur

17、in the north and Erech in the south, and it can only be assumed that they were despatched by runners, or men mounted on swift horses. As reports also came from Dilbat, Kutba, Nippur, and Bursippa, all cities of ancient foundation, the king was probably well acquainted with the general course of even

18、ts in his empire.1.What actuated the Babylonian astronomer?A.Marking the seasonsB.AstrologyC.Both A and BD.Neither of A and B2.Where, according to Thompson , did many superstitions of western civilization originate from? A.NinevehB.BabyloniaC.AssurD.Erech3.How was the social status of an astrologer

19、at that time?A.Of high social statusB.Of middle social statusC.Of low social statusD.It wasnt mentioned in the passage.4.How was the king acquainted with the general course of events in his empire?A.By periodical reports of astrology from the cities of the empire.B.By scientific reports from special

20、ists.C.By rumorsD.By making a tour in disguise5.What does the author mainly talk about in this passage?A.astronomyB.physicsC.meteorologyD.astrologypassage 3Mr Malthus very correctly defines, the rent of land to be that portion of the value of the whole produce which remains to the owner, after all t

21、he outgoings belonging to its cultivation, ofwhatever kind, have been paid, including the profits of the capital employed, estimated according to the usual and ordinary rate of the profits of agricultural stock at the time being. Whenever, then, the usual and ordinary rate of the profits of agricult

22、ural stock, and all the outgoings belonging to the cultivation of land, are together equal to the value of the whole produce, there can be no rent. And when the whole produce is only equal in value to the outgoings necessary to cultivation, there can neither be rent nor profit. In the first settling

23、 of a country rich in fertile land, and which may be had by any one who chooses to take it, the whole produce, after deducting the outgoings belonging to cultivation, will be the profits of capital, and will belong to the owner of such capital, without any deduction whatever for rent. Thus, if the c

24、apital employed by an individual on such land were of the value of two hundred quarters of wheat, of which half consisted of fixed capital, such as buildings, implements, &c. and the other half of circulating capital, - if, after replacing the fixed and circulating capital, the value of the remainin

25、g produce were one hundred quarters of wheat, or of equal value with one hundred quarters of wheat, the neat profit to the owner of capital would be fifty per cent or one hundred profit on two hundred capital. For a period of some duration, the profits of agricultural stock might continue at the sam

26、e rate, because land equally fertile, and equally well situated, might be abundant, and therefore, might be cultivated on the same advantageous terms, in proportion as the capital of the first, and subsequent settlers augmented.1.In Mr Malthus opinion, the rent of land and profits of the capital emp

27、loyed in cultivation _?A.have not been paid.B.have been paid.C.have been partially paidD.ought to be paid.2.What, according to Mr Malthus, is the correlation between the four parties: rent of land, outgoings necessary to cultivation, profit of capital and value of the whole produceA.outgoings necess

28、ary to cultivation = rent of land + profit of capital +value of the whole produceB.profit of capital = value of the whole produce rent of land outgoings necessary to cultivationC.value of the whole produce = land of the rent + outgoings necessary to cultivation profit of capitalD.profit of capital =

29、 value of the whole produce + rent of land outgoings necessary to cultivation3.When does a cultivator have no profit under the following circumstances?A.The usual and ordinary rate of the profits of agricultural stock is together equal to the value of the whole produce.B.The whole produce is only eq

30、ual in value to the outgoings necessary to cultivation.C.A cultivator takes first settling of a country rich in fertile landD.The land is not free.4.In the fifth paragraph, if, after replacing the fixed and circulating capital, the value of the remaining produce were fifty quarters of wheat, the nea

31、t profit to the owner of capital would be_?A.50%B.100%C.75%D.25%5.The author believes the profits of agricultural stock are _?A.unsustainableB.sustainableC.sometimes sustainableD.depending on the weatherpassage 4While the laborer is confined to the culture of the soil on his own -account, because it

32、 is in that manner alone that he can obtain access to the wages on which he is to subsist, the form and amount of the Rents he pays are determined by a direct contract between himself and the proprietor. The provisions of these contracts are influenced sometimes by the laws, and almost always by the long established usages, of the countries in which they are made. The main object in all is, to secure a revenue to the proprietors with the least practicable