考研英语（二）历年真题阅读要点之2014-Text 2（一）

考研族

　　阅读部分在整套考研英语试卷中所占的分值比重是最大的，因此突破阅读是考研英语过线甚至取得高分的关键。为了帮助大家更好地复习，文都教育考研英语老师为各位同学梳理一下历年真题阅读文章中涉及的要点，包括词汇、短语、长难句以及简单的阅读方法。接下来看一下2014年考研英语真题阅读Text 2，这篇文章主要探讨了人们出于本能的自我优越感。
　　An article in Scientific America has pointed out that empirical research says ... We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing strategies to achieve this. Social psychologists have amassed oceans of research into what they call the “above average effect”, or “illusory superiority”, and shown that, for example, 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving and 85% at getting on well with others -- all obviously statistical impossibilities.
　　article“文章”；point out“指出”；empirical research“经验主义研究”；deep-seated“根深蒂固的”；employ“采用”；a number of“若干，一些”；self-enhancing“自我提升的”；strategy“策略”；amass“收集”；oceans of“许多”；effect“效应”；illusory“虚假的，错觉的”；superiority“优越”；rate...as...“评价为”；leadership“领导能力”；get on well with“与...融洽相处”；statistical“统计学的”；impossibility“不可能，不可能的事情”。
　　We rose-tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticized, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own esteem, we stalk around thinking we’re hot stuff.
　　rose-tint“染成玫瑰色，即美化”；self-affirming“自我肯定的”；defensive“戒备的，防御的”；criticize“批评”；apply...to...“应用”；negative“消极的，否定的”；stereotype“陈腔滥调，刻板印象”；boost“促进”；esteem“尊严”；stalk around“趾高气昂”；hot stuff“大人物”。
　　Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key study into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather than have people simply rate their beauty compared with others, he asked them to identify an original photograph of themselves’ from a lineup including versions that had been altered to appear more and less attractive.
　　oversee“监督，监管”；key“关键的”；self-enhancement“自我提升”；attractiveness“吸引力”；rather than“而不是”，其后为否定掉的内容；be compared with“与...相比较”；identify“识别”；original“原始的，最初的”；lineup“一组”；version“版本”；alter“修改”。
　　以上就是文都教育考研英语老师为大家梳理的2014年考研英语真题阅读Text 2的要点。努力固然重要，但是方法同样重要。各位同学一定要将努力和方法相结合，脚踏实地，循序渐进，高效完成复习任务。不要完全指望运气，因为机遇只会垂青有准备的人。
　　【重点推送】文都教育2018考研大纲专题已上线——点击进入，文都各位名师届时将为考生们做出全面详细的解析。