2015年考研英语阅读理解考前专项训练（19）
发布时间：2012/10/30 22:44:23 来源：城市网学院 编辑：admin
In those parts of the planet that might once have been described as Christendom, this week marks the season of peace on Earth and goodwill towards men. A nice idea in a world more usually thought of as seasoned by the survival of the fittest. But goodwill and collaboration are as much part of the human condition as ill-will and #petition. And that was a puzzle to 19th-century disciples of Charles Darwin, such as Herbert Spencer.
It was Spencer, an early contributor to The Economist, who invented that poisoned phrase,survival of the fittest. He originally applied it to the winnowing of firms in the harsh winds of high- Victorian capitalism, but when Darwin's masterwork, On the Origin of Species, was published, he quickly saw the parallel with natural selection and transferred his bon mot to the process of evolution, As a result, he became one of the band of philosophers known as social Darwinists. Capitalists all, they took what they thought were the lessons of Darwin's book and applied them to human society. Their hard-hearted conclusion, of which a 17th-century religious puritan might have been proud, was that people got what they deserved--albeit that the criterion of desert was genetic, rather than moral. ~ The fittest not only survived, but prospered. Moreover, the social Darwinists thought that measures to help the poor were wasted, since such people were obviously unfit and thus doomed to sink.
Sadly, the slur stuck. For 100 years Darwinism was associated with a particularly harsh and unpleasant view of the world and, worse, one that was clearly not true--at least, not the whole truth. People certainly #pete, but they collaborate, too. They also have #passion for the fallen and frequently try to help them, rather than treading on them. For this sort of behaviour, On the Origin of Species had no explanation. As a result, Darwinism had to tiptoe round the issue of how human society and behaviour evolved. Instead, the disciples of a second 19th-century creed, Marxism, dominated academic sociology departments with their cuddly collectivist ideas--even if the practical application of those ideas has been even more catastrophic than social Darwinism was. [359 words]
1. It is implied in the text that______accords with the survival of the fittest.
A. the zeal for #petition
B. the zeal for collaboration
C. the season of peace
D. the world of Christianity
2. It was Darwin who first put forward the idea of______
A. human species
B. natural selection
C. survival of the fittest
D. goodwill towards men
3. It is TRUE that______
A. people got what they deserved
B. there is no good helping the poor
C. the fittest survived, and prospered
D. Spencer was a famous philosopher
4. It is obvious that______is inconsistent with Darwinism.
A. the doom of the poor people
B. the prosperity of the rich people
C. the friendly social cooperation
D. the cruel trade #petition
5. The author believes that______
A. social Darwinism is behind the times
B. neither Marxism nor social Darwinism is faultless
C. Marxism is superior to social Darwinism
D. Marxism is more practical than social Darwinism
[NextPage] 难句透析
①In those parts of the planet[that might once have been described as“Christendom”]，this week marks“the sea— son of peace on Earth and”goodwill towards men.A nice idea in a world Emore usually thought of as seasoned by the survival of the fittest].
【结构】第一句中的方括号所标示的后置定语从句修饰“parts”。谓语动词“marks”后面跟有两个并列的宾语。第二句是个名词短语，是对第一句的进一步说明。其中的方括号所标示的后置过去分词短语修饰“world”。
【释义】在地球上曾经被描绘成“基督教界”的那些地方，本周的标志是世界一片和平，对人充满善意。在通常更被看做“适者生存”的世界上，这有多美好。
②“He originally applied it to the winnowing of firms in the harsh winds of high—Victorian capitalism，but [when Darwin'S masterwork，”0n the Origin of Species“，was published]，he quickly saw the parallel with natural se— lection and transferred his bon mot tO the process of evolution.
【结构】本句是由”but“连接的两个分句组成的并列句。方括号部分是第二个分句中的时间状语从句。其中有两个并列的谓语动词”saw“和”transferred“。
【释义】斯宾塞最初把”适者生存“应用于解释维多利亚时代资本主义全盛时期公司之间无情的优胜劣汰，但是，达尔文的名着《物种起源》出版后，斯宾塞迅速发现了与自然选择相似的事物，他把他机智的说法应用到进化过程中。
③Their hard-hearted conclusion，[of which a l7th—century religious puritan might have been proud]，was[that
people got（what they deserved）]一albeit[that the criterion of desert was genetic，ratt acr than moral].
【结构】第一个方括号部分是”conclusion“的后置定语从句。第二个方括号部分是表语从句。第三个方括号部分是让步状语从句。
【释义】他们得出的无情结论就是人们得到自己应该得到的赏罚，虽然评判应得的赏罚的标准是遗传的而不是道义上的。这是17世纪的严谨的清教徒为之感到自豪的结论。
④For 100 years Darwinism was associated with a particularly harsh and unpleasant view of the world and，worse， one[that was clearly not true at least,not the whole truth].
【结构】方括号部分是”one“的后置定语从句。代词”0ne“指”view of the world“。
【释义】长达100年，达尔文主义与一种特别残酷、令人讨厌的世界观联系在了一起；更糟糕的是，这种世界观显然不对，至少不全对。 [NextPage] 全文翻译
在地球上曾经被描绘成“基督教界”的那些地方，本周的标志是世界一片和平，对人充满善意。在通常更被看做“适者生存”的世界上，这有多美好。但亲善与合作正如同交恶与竞争，都是人类社会固有的成份。这对19世纪追随达尔文主义的人，比如说赫伯特·斯宾塞来说无疑是个不解之谜。
作为早期为《经济学家》杂志撰稿者之一的斯宾塞，也正好是“适者生存”这句充满剧毒的话语的发明者。斯宾塞最初把“适者生存”应用于解释维多利亚时代资本主义全盛时期公司之间无情的优胜劣汰，但是，达尔文的名着《物种起源》出版后，斯宾塞迅速发现了与自然选择相似的事物，他把他机智的说法应用到进化过程中。也由于他的发现，他成为了社会达尔文主义哲学家们中的一员。当时的资本家们都从达尔文的着作中提取他们认为是可学的内容并将其_应用到人类社会当中。他们得出的无情结论就是人们得到自己应该得到的赏罚，虽然评判应得的赏罚的标准是遗传的而不是道义上的。这是17世纪的严谨的清教徒为之感到自豪的结论。更有甚者，社会达尔文主义者认为用于帮助穷人的措施都是白费力气，因为穷人都明摆着是不适生存者，他们命中注定要沉沦，#。
不幸的是，这样的污浊观点沉淀了下来。长达100年，达尔文主义与一种特别残酷、令人讨厌的世界观联系在了一起；更糟糕的是，这种世界观显然不对，至少不全对。人们理所当然有竞争，但他们也会互相帮助。他们对落后者怀有怜悯并经常试图帮助后者，而非践踏后者的利益。对这样的行为，《物种起源》无法给予解释。因此，在人类社会及其行为是如何形成的这一问题上达尔文主义不得不小心翼翼地避而不答。取而代之的，坚信被称为19世纪第二大信条的马克思主义的信徒们以他们令人喜爱的集体主义理想主宰了各大社会学学术研究机构——而现实中马克思主义的应用却招致了比达尔文主义更不堪想象的后果。
超纲词汇
albeit conj.虽然
bon mot（法）机智的话
Christendom n.基督教徒（集合称），基督教界
Creed n.信条
Cuddly adj.令人想拥抱的，喜爱抚的
desert n.沙漠，应得的赏罚，功过
Disciple n.信徒，弟子，门徒
hard—hearted adj.硬心肠的，无情的，冷酷的
puritan n.清教徒
seasonea adj.经验丰富的，老练的
slur n.污点
tiptoe vi.用脚尖走
tread vi.踏，行走，踩碎，践踏，交尾
winnow vt.簸，扬（谷），吹开糠皮，吹掉，精选
参考答案：1.A 2.B 3.D 4.C 5.B
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