2009考研英语三层递进攻克阅读理解(18)
取自：Text 2
Over the past century, all kinds of unfairness and discrimination have been condemned or made illegal. But one insidious form continues to thrive: alphabetism. This, for those as yet unaware of such a disadvantage, refers to discrimination against those whose surnames begin with a letter in the lower half of the alphabet.
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It has long been known that a taxi firm called AAAA cars has a big advantage over Zodiac cars when customers thumb through their phone directories. Less well known is the advantage that Adam Abbott has in life over Zo Zysman. English names are fairly evenly spread between the halves of the alphabet. Yet a suspiciously large number of top people have surnames beginning with letters between A and K.
Thus the American president and vice president have surnames starting with B and C respectively; and 26 of George Bush's predecessors（including his father）had surnames in the first half of the alphabet against just 16 in the second half. Even more striking, six of the seven heads of government of the G7 rich countries are alphabetically advantaged（Berlusconi, Blair, Bush, Chirac, Chrétien and Koizumi）. The world's three top central bankers（Greenspan, Duisenberg and Hayami）are all close to the top of the alphabet, even if one of them really uses Japanese characters. As are the world's five richest men（Gates, Buffett, Allen, Ellison and Albrecht）.
Can this merely be coincidence? One theory, dreamt up in all the spare time enjoyed by the alphabetically disadvantaged, is that the rot sets in early. At the start of the first year in infant school, teachers seat pupils alphabetically from the front, to make it easier to remember their names. So short sighted Zysman junior gets stuck in the back row, and is rarely asked the improving questions posed by those insensitive teachers. At the time the alphabetically disadvantaged may think they have had a lucky escape. Yet the result may be worse qualifications, because they get less individual attention, as well as less confidence in speaking publicly.
The humiliation continues. At university graduation ceremonies, the ABCs proudly get their awards first; by the time they reach the Zysmans most people are literally having a ZZZ. Shortlists for job interviews, election ballot papers, lists of conference speakers and attendees: all tend to be drawn up alphabetically, and their recipients lose interest as they plough through them.
46. What does the author intend to illustrate with AAA A cars and Zodiac cars?
［A］ A kind of overlooked inequality.
［B］ A type of conspicuous bias.
［C］ A type of personal prejudice.
［D］ A kind of brand discrimination.
47. What can we infer from the first three paragraphs?
［A］ In both East and West, names are essential to success.
［B］ The alphabet is to blame for the failure of Zoë Zysman.
［C］ Customers often pay a lot of attention to companies'names.
［D］ Some form of discrimination is too subtle to recognize.
48. The 4th paragraph suggests that
［A］ questions are often put to the more intelligent students.
［B］ alphabetically disadvantaged students often escape form class.
［C］ teachers should pay attention to all of their students.
［D］ students should be seated according to their eyesight.
49. What does the author mean by "most people are literally having a ZZZ" （Lines 2~3, Paragraph 5）?
［A］ They are getting impatient.
［B］ They are noisily dozing off.
［C］ They are feeling humiliated.
［D］ They are busy with word puzzles.
50. Which of the following is true according to the text?
［A］ People with surnames beginning with N to Z are often ill treated.
［B］ VIPs in the Western world gain a great deal from Zo Zysman.
［C］ The campaign to eliminate alphabetism still has a long way to go.
［D］ Putting things alphabetically may lead to unintentional bias.
核心词汇：
award vt.授予,给予；判定n.奖,奖金；仲裁
ballot n.（不记名）投票；投票总数；投票权
blame v.责备;怪,把......归咎于n.责任,过错;责备
brand n.商标,标记,牌子v.使铭记;打火印,打烙印
ceremony n.典礼,仪式;礼节,礼仪
coincidence n.占同一位置；巧合，凑巧（co共同+in内+cid落下，降临+ence名词后缀→巧合）
condemn v.谴责,指责;判刑,宣告有罪(com共同+demn伤害→共同伤害→谴责)
conspicuous a.显眼的,明显的（con大家+spic+uous→大家都看见的→显眼的）
discriminate v.区别,辨别;（against）有差别地对待,歧视（dis+crimin分辨+ate→分辩开）
humiliation n.耻辱（hum+iliat+ion名词后缀→耻辱）
insidious a.阴险的，暗中危害的(in内+sid坐+ious形容词后缀→坐在内部的坏人→阴险的)
literally ad.照字面意义,逐字地;确实
plough n.(plow)犁,耕地,犁过的地v.犁,费力地前进，艰难前进,艰难前进
predecessor n.前辈，前任（pre+de表强调+cess+or人→强调走在前面的人→前辈）
recipient a.接受的,感受性强的n.接受者,感受者,容器（re再+cip+ient名词后缀→容器）
rot v.(使)腐烂,(使)腐败,腐朽
striking a.显著的,惹人注目的,容貌出众的（strike给......深刻印象+ing）
subtle a.精巧的,巧妙的;细微的,微妙的
surname n.姓
suspicious a.（of）可疑的,多疑的,疑心的（sus在下面+spic+ious形容词后缀→怀疑的）
suspiciously ad.猜疑地;形迹可疑
thrive v.兴旺,繁荣
thumb n.拇指v.示意要求搭车；迅速翻阅
难句分析：
难句1
This, for those as yet unaware of such a disadvantage, refers to discrimination against those whose surnames begin with a letter in the lower half of the alphabet.
［分析］此句的主干是"this ...refers to discrimination..."。主语this 和谓语refers to之间插入了介词短语for those作状语，those 后跟着形容词短语unaware of...作定语，宾语discrimination 后跟介词短语against those作定语，those后又有whose引导的定语从句。
［译文］许多人至今还没有意识到其弊端，它指的是对那些姓氏起始字母位于字母表后半部的人的歧视。
难句2
Thus the American president and vice president have surnames starting with B and C respectively; and 26 of George Bush's predecessors（including his father）had surnames in the first half of the alphabet against just 16 in the second half.
［分析］此句主干是由and连接的两个分句，即"American president and vicepresident have surnames...，and 26 of...had surnames..."。第一个分句的宾语surnames后是分词结构starting with作定语；第二个分句宾语紧跟的介词结构in the first half of the alphabet作定语，另外一个分词结构......的完整形式是against just 16 of George Bush's predecessors had surnames in the second half。
［译文］如此这般，美国的总统和副总统的姓氏分别是以B和C字母起头。乔治·布什的前任有二十六位（包括其父）的姓氏均在字母表的前半部，而姓氏在字母表后半部的却仅有十六位。
难句3
One theory, dreamt up in all the spare time enjoyed by the alphabetically disadvantaged, is that the rot sets in early.
［分析］此句的主干是主语+系动词+表语结构即"One theory, ...is that the rot sets in early",其中两个逗号之间的部分是过去分词结构dreamt up...，作前面theory 的定语，其中过去分词结构enjoyed by the alphabetically disadvantaged作前面time的定语。
［译文］按字母表顺序排名靠后的人在闲暇时凭空想出一种理论，认为这种情况从一开始就很糟糕。
难句4
Shortlists for job interviews, election ballot papers, lists of conference speakers and attendees: all tend to be drawn up alphabetically, and their recipients lose interest as they plough through them.
［分析］此句主干是and连接的两个分句 "...all tend to be drawn up，and their recipients lose interest..."。此句中冒号前的三个名词短语是第一个分句主语all的同位语。As引导的时间状语从句，修饰第二个分句。
［译文］求职面试、选举投票、会议发言或参加会议等诸多名单，也是按字母表顺序排序，当人们费劲地向下查看时，兴趣会越来越少。
文章类型：时文--人文科学--字母主义现象
本文的主题是关于对姓氏字母排列在后的人的种种歧视并举例论证这个论点。
试题解析：
46. 作者举"AAAAcars"和"Zodiac"汽车公司为例是为了说明什么？
［A］ 一种被人们忽视的不平等。
［B］ 一种显而易见的偏见。
［C］ 一种个人偏见。
［D］ 一种少见的歧视。
例证题【正确答案】［A］
本题考查考生对原文论点和论据的把握能力。本文第1自然段作者提出了论点，姓氏歧视正在继续滋生泛滥，却又不被人们注意，而第2自然段为举例论证。所以选项［A］正确。
47. 根据文章的前面三段，我们可以推知什么？
［A］ 不管是在东方还是在西方，姓名对于成功至关重要。
［B］ 人们指责字母表导致姓氏靠后者的失败。
［C］ 消费者通常非常注重公司的名字。
［D］ 某种歧视太细微因而难以辨别。
推理题【正确答案】［D］
由于第二段、第三段的细节举例都是围绕着第一段展开，是为第一段服务的，所以解题关键还是第一段的论点。选项［D］的含义是根据原文首段信息可以得出的推理，因此为正确选项。
48．第四段暗示
［A］ 更聪明的学生经常被提问。
［B］ 不具备字母优势的学生经常逃课。
［C］ 老师应该关注所有学生。
［D］ 应该根据学生的视力来给他们排座位。
推理题【正确答案】 ［C］
考查对第四段的整体理解，可以定位在原文的第4自然段，归纳原文信息，可知选项［Ｃ］"教师应该注意的是所有的学生"正确。其余三个选项都不符合原文信息。
49. 作者说"most people are literally having a ZZZ"(第五段，第2行)的意思是什么？
［A］ 他们变得不耐烦。
［B］ 他们已鼾声大作。
［C］ 他们觉得丢脸。
［D］ 他们忙于做字谜游戏。
句子理解题【正确答案】［B］
题干中短语的位置出现在原文第5自然段。根据上下文逻辑关系，可知与下文的"lose interest"构成了对应关系。选项［B］的内容与上文构成了较佳的衔接关系，因此为正确选项。
50. 根据本文的观点，下面哪项正确？
［A］ 以N到Z为姓氏的人经常受到虐待。
［B］ 西方世界的重要人物从以字母先后排序的做法中获得极大的好处。
［C］ 消除以字母先后排序的运动仍然任重道远。
［D］按照字母表顺序排列方法可能造成无意识的偏见。
判断题【正确答案】［D］
可以采用排除法将各个选项与原文进行比较，选项［D］"按照字母表顺序排列方法可能造成无意识的偏见"与原文第一自然段的论点信息是吻合的，因此为正确选项。其他三个选项是原文信息的曲解，不符合文章的信息。
全文精译：
在过去的一个世纪里各种各样的不公平和歧视遭到了谴责或定为非法。但是有一种潜在的不公平现象却在大行其道，那就是字母表排序法。许多人至今还没有意识到其弊端，它指的是对那些姓氏起始字母位于字母表后半部的人的歧视。
第一段：提示字母主义这种潜在的歧视现象。
人们早已知道在客户翻阅电话簿时，名叫AAAA的出租汽车公司要比Zodiac出租汽车公司有很大的优越性。至于在生活方面亚当·阿伯特（Adam Abbott）比较佐伊·奇斯曼（Zo Zysman）的优越性就不那么为人所知了。英语的姓名虽然在字母表的前后两半部分的分布相当平均，但顶级人物的姓名的首字母在A与K之间的却多得可疑。
如此这般，美国的总统和副总统的姓氏分别是以B和C字母起头。乔治·布什的前任有二十六位（包括其父）的姓氏均在字母表的前半部，而姓氏在字母表后半部的却仅有十六位。更加令人瞩目的是七大富裕强国政府的首脑中有六位在其姓氏按字母表顺序排名时靠前贝卢斯克尼（Berlusconi）、布莱尔（Blair）、布什（Bush）、希拉克（Chirac）、克雷蒂安（Chrétien）、小泉（Koizumi）。世界三大中央银行行长格林斯潘（Greenspan）、德伊森贝赫（Duisenberg）、速水优（Hayami）全都接近字母表的上端，三人之中有一人即使用日文也是如此。世界上最富有的前五位情况也是如此，盖茨（Gates）、巴菲特（Buffett）、艾伦（Allen）、埃利森（Ellison）、阿尔布莱希特（Albrecht）。
第二和第三段：通过举例来说明这种现象的广泛存在。
这仅仅是巧合吗？按字母表顺序排名靠后的人在闲暇时凭空想出一种理论，认为这种情况从一开始就很糟糕。在幼儿学校第一年之始，老师为了较为容易记住学生的名字，就按字母表顺序由前往后给学生排座位。因此近视的小Zysman就被插在了后排，这样一来，他很少会被那些不敏感的教师提问。这时，按字母表顺序排名靠后的学生还认为他们能逃避老师的问题很幸运。然而，结果可能就是成绩欠佳，因为这种学生得到的个人关注较少，同时当众讲话时的信心也不足。
这种不幸还在继续。在大学的毕业典礼上，姓名首字母是ABC的学生骄傲的首先领到奖品；等轮到Zysmans们领奖品的时候，大多数人简直都在鼾声大作了。求职面试、选举投票、会议发言或参加会议等诸多名单，也是按字母表顺序排序，当人们费劲地向下查看时，兴趣会越来越少。
第四和第五段：指出这种歧视现象并非巧合，也非个别现象，并引用了理论说明这种现象起始于人们童年的学校教育。
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