2015年考研英语阅读理解考前专项训练（117）
发布时间：2012/11/6 14:35:00 来源：城市网学院 编辑：admin
Lotteries are a regressive tax on those who can't do math，runs the famous old sayin9.①“Nonsense!”retort critics.“For a dollar，one can purchase the fantasy of being wealthy beyond dreams of avarice.It is cheap at the price.”
Over at Over#ing Bias.Eliezer Yudkowsky says“But isn't that a waste of hope?”
But consider exactly what this implies.It would mean that you're occupying your valuable brain with a fantasy whose real probability is nearly zer0——a tiny line of likelihood which you，yourself，can do nothing to realize.The lottery balls will decide your future.The fantasy is of wealth that arrives without effort--without conscientiousness，learnin9，charisma，or even patience.
Which makes the lottery another kind of sink：a sink of emotional energy.It encourages people to invest their dreams，their hopes for a better future，into an infinitesimal probability.If not for the lottery，maybe they would fantasize about going to technical school，or opening their own business，or getting a promotion at work--things they might be able to actually d0，hopes that would make them want to be#e stronger.④Their dreaming brains might，in the 20th visualization of the pleasant fantasy， notice a way to really do it.Isn't that what dreams and brains are for?But how can such reality-limited fare #pete with the artificially sweetened prospect of instant wealth--not after herding a dot-corn startup through to IP0，but on Tuesday?④
Seriously，why can't we j ust say that buying lottery tickets is stupid?Human beings are stupid，ftom time to time—it shouldn't be so surprising a hypothesis.
Unsurprisingly，the human brain doesn't d0 64一bit floating-point arithmetic.and it can't devalue the emotional force of a pleasant anticipation by a factor of 0.00000001 without dropping the line of reasoning entirely.Unsurprisingly，many people don't realize that a numerical calculation of expected utility ought to override or replace their imprecise financial instincts，and instead treat the calculation as merely one argument to be balanced against their pleasant anticipations--an emotionally weak argument， since it's made up of mere squiggles on paper，instead of visions of fabulous wealth.
This seems sufficient to explain the popularity of lotteries.Why do so many arguers feel impelled to defend this classic form of self-destruction?
This seems rather extreme.The human brain is wired to feel many irrational desires，like love，and the yearning to produce a squalling mess of an infant that will hoover up all your available cash，plus10％，for the foreseeable future.⑥We don't try to edit those out.Given that the human being is irrationally unable to discount a potential pleasure down by the exact expected probability，shouldn't we exploit this trait in order to cheaply produce large utility gains?⑦[458 words]
1.The supporters of lottery argue that______.
A.it is a waste of hope to buy lottery to be#e rich
B.anyone can expect to be#e wealthy by buyin9 10ttery
C.it is inexpensive to fantasize being rich by buying lottery
D.only those who can't do math waste their money on lottery
2.By sayin9“But isn't that a waste of hope?”Eliezer Yudkowsky means that______.
A.few people fantasize wealth arriving easily
B.buying lottery isn't necessarily a waste of hope
C.10ttery is a fantasy with little real probability to realize
D.your future shouldn't be decided by random lottery balls
3.By referring t0“herding a dot—# startup through to IP0”，the author intends to show that______.
A.no wealth can arrive without perseverin9，and conscientious effort
B.10ttery is something worth trying for anyone who dreams to be wealthy
C.the pleasant fantasy can never #pete with the prospect of instant wealth
D.the fantasy of things with real probability is less desirable than that of instant wealth
4.Aecording to the text，many people argue for lotteries because______.
A.they are born with imprecise financial instincts
B.be#ing wealthy instantly is more than probable
C.the human brain doesn't do #plicated arithmetic
D.they would rather think emotionally than logically
5.The author believes that lotteries______.
A.are nothing but fl popular form of self-destruction
B.serves as a potential pleasure for irrational people
C.reflect many irrational desires of the human brain
D.will hoover up all your available cash for the future [NextPage] 难句透析
①Lotteries are a regressive tax on those[who can't do math]，runs the famous old sayin9.
【结构】本句是倒装句，主语是“the famous old sayin9”，谓语动词是“runs”。方括号所标示的“who can't do math”是“those”的后置定语从句。
【释义】有句格言说得好，彩票是对不会算术的人征收的递减税。
②It would mean[that you're occupying your valuable brain with a fantasy（whose real probability is nearly zer0— a tiny line of likelihood）（which you，yourself，can do nothing to realize）].
【结构】方括号所标示的“that you're occupyin9…tO realize”是“mean”的宾语从句。圆括号所标示的“whose re。 al probability…likelihood”是“fantasy”的后置定语从句；破折号后面的“a tiny line of likelihood”补充说明其前面的“nearly zer0”。圆括号所标示的“which you，yourself，can do nothing tO realize”是“fantasy”的另一个后置定语从句。
【释义】这句话的意思是，你宝贵的大脑在做白日梦，实现的可能性近乎为零，可能性微乎其微。你根本无能为力去实现。
③If not for the lottery，maybe they would fantasize about going to technical school。Or opening their own busi. hess，or getting a promotion at work- things[they might be able tO actually do]，hopes[that would make them want to be#e stronger].
【结构】用上标数字标明的三个并列的动名词短语用做介词“about”的宾语。破折号后面的“things…，hopes…”补充说明其前面的三个并列的动名词短语。方括号所标示的“they might be able to actually d0”是“things”的后置定语从句。方括号所标示的“that would make them want tO be#e stronger”是“hopes”的后置定语从句。
【释义】要不是彩票，他们可能会梦想上技术学校、自己做生意或工作升职。这都是他们有可能实际上去做的事，也是使他们自己想要变得更有实力的希望所在。
④But how can such reality-limited fare #pete with the artificially sweetened prospect of instant wealth——not after herding a dot—# startop through to IP0，but on Tuesday?
【结构】 本句是“how”引导的特殊疑问句。破折号后面的“not after…，but on…”补充说明其前面的主句。
【释义】但是，这种不太现实的运气怎能抵得过那种让人突然暴富的人造美好前景呢？根本不必从创建网络公司干起，逐步发展成上市公司，而是某天突然暴富。
⑤Unsurprisingly，many people“dont realize[that a numerical calculation of expected utility ought tO OVerride or replace their imprecise financial instincts]，and instead treat the calculation as merely one argument Eto be halanced against their pleasant anticipations]--an emotionally weak argument，since it's made up of mere squiggles OD pa。 per，instead of visions of fabulous wealth].
【结构】本句是主从复合句，其主句的主语是”many people“，跟有两个并列的谓语动词”don't realize.…and in stead treat…“。方括号所标示的”that a numerical calculation…financial instincts“是”realize“的宾语从句。方括号所标示的动词不定式短语”tO be balanced…anticipations“是”argument“的后置定语。破折号后面的部分补充说明其前面的”0ne argument“；方括号所标示的”since it'S made up of…，instead of…“用做状语从句。
【释义】毫不奇怪，很多人没有意识到，应该对期待的利益进行实际数字运算，而不能依靠对财富不严密的估计。而他们却把数字运算仅仅当做自己美好预期的一个佐证。那只是一种感情上的、缺乏基础的佐证，因为那只是在纸上胡乱写写而已，并不是惊人财富的显现。
⑥The human brain is wired[tO feel many irrational desires，like”love，and“the yearning（to produce a sqHalling mess of an infant）（that will hoover up all your available cash，plus l0％，for the foreseeable rutUre）].
【结构】方括号所标示的动词不定式短语”to feel…“用做目的状语。用上标数字标明的两个并列的名词短语用做介词”like“的宾语。圆括号所标示的动词不定式短语”tO produce…infant“是”the yearnin9“的后置定语。圆括号所标示的”that will hoover up…future“是”desires“的后置定语从句。
【释义】人的头脑结构复杂，能产生许多非理性的欲望，比如，渴望爱情，渴望有个婴儿哇哇乱叫。用不了多久。这些欲望就会把你现有的钱。甚至还得加上l0％，全部糟蹋光。
⑦[Given（that the human being is irrationally unable tO discount a potential pleasure down by the exact expected probability）]，shouldn't we exploit this trait in order to cheaply produce large utility gains?
【结构】方括号所标示的过去分词短语”Given that…probability“用做状语；其中圆括号所标示的”that the hu— man being is…probability“是”Given“的宾语从句。逗号后面的疑问句是本句的主句。
【释义】人有时缺乏理性，不能通过实实在在判断可能性大小来如实地看待潜在利益。难道我们不应该利用这一点轻而易举地获得巨大收益吗？
答案注释
1.根据第一段中的”‘Nonsense!retort critics.For a dollar，one can purchase the fantasy of being wealthy beyond dreams of avarice.It is cheap at the price“可知，选项C应为答案。
2.根据第二段第二旬”It would mean that…a fantasy whose real probability is nearly zero a tiny line of likelihood which you，yourself，can do nothing to realize“可知，选项C应为答案。
3.根据第二段最后一句”The fantasy is of wealth that arrives without effort--without conscientiousness，learnin9， charisma，or even patience“和第三段可知，选项A应为答案。
4.根据本文最后两句”We don't try to edit those OUt.Given that the human being is irrationally unable to discount a potential pleasure down by the exact expected probability，shouldn't we exploit this trait in order to cheaply produce large utility gains?“可知，选项D应为答案。
5.根据第七段”This seems sufficient to explain the popularity of lotteries.why do SO many arguers feel impelled to defend this classic form of self.destruction?“可知，选项A应为答案。 [NextPage] 全文翻译
有句格言说得好，彩票是对不会算术的人征收的递减税。①批评家会反驳道：“这简直胡说八道！一美元你就可以买到贪婪的暴富的梦想。这多便宜啊！”
在《克服偏见》中，伊莱泽·优德肯斯基说：“但是这不是在浪费自己的希望吗？”
但是好好想想这到底意味着什么。这句话的意思是，你宝贵的大脑在做自日梦，实现的可能性近乎为零，可能性微乎其微，你根本无能为力去实现。彩票球将决定你的未来。这样的幻想就是不劳而获，一夜暴富，无需责任心、学习、个人魅力，连耐心都不必付出。
什么造成彩票成为另一种形式的堕落：一种情感精力的堕落。它鼓励人们为梦想投资，为梦想更好的未来投资，为微乎其微的梦想投资。要不是彩票，他们可能会梦想上技术学校、自己做生意或工作升职。这都是他们有可能实际上去做的事，也是使他们自己想要变得更有实力的希望所在。经过20次梦想美好的未来后，人脑在梦中找到了真正实现梦想的方式。这不就是梦想和大脑存在的意义吗？但是，这种不太现实的运气怎能抵得过那种让人突然暴富的人造美好前景呢？根本不必从创建网络公司干起，逐步发展成上市公司，而是某天突然暴富。④
认真说来，我们为什么不痛快说买彩票是愚蠢的行为？人类总是时不时地愚蠢一下。这并不令人感到十分惊讶。
毫不奇怪，人的大脑不会做64位的浮点运算，不会通过乘以0.00000001而降低对美好未来预期而产生的情感力量，不会放弃全部的推理。毫不奇怪，很多人没有意识到，应该对期待的利益进行实际数字运算，而不能依靠对财富不严密的估计。而他们却把数字运算仅仅当做自己美好预期的一个佐证。那只是一种感情上的、缺乏基础的佐证，因为那只是在纸上胡乱写写而已，并不是惊人财富的显现。
似乎这些就足以说明为什么彩票这么流行。为什么这么多争论者总在不停地为这种自毁行为辩护？
下面这个解释看起来有些极端。人的头脑结构复杂，能产生许多非理性的欲望，比如，渴望爱情，渴望有个婴儿哇哇乱叫。用不了多久，这些欲望就会把你现有的钱，甚至还得加上10％，全部糟蹋光。我们从不试图弄清楚这些事情。人有时缺乏理性，不能通过实实在在判断可能性大小来如实地看待潜在利益。难道我们不应该利用这一点轻而易举地获得巨大收益吗？
超纲词汇
Regressive adj.倒退的，回归的，逆向的
retort vi.／vt.回嘴，反责，反驳
Avarice n.贪财，贪婪
Charisma n.超凡魅力，感召力，教皇般的指导力
infinitesimal无穷小的，极小的，无限小的
fantasize vi.／vt.做白日梦，想象，幻想
visualization n.形象，形象化，直观化
fare <古>情况，运气
herding 放牧，使…成群
floating-point n.浮点
override vt.不顾，无视，蔑视
squiggle 胡乱写的字；花体
squall 大喊大叫
hoover vt.用真空吸尘器把…弄清洁
edit out 删除
参考答案：1.C 2.C 3.A 4.D 5.A
