考研英語基礎階段的主要任務是攻克詞匯和語法長難句。但是背單詞是各位考生最為頭疼的事情。與此同時，長難句由于缺乏語境也很難理解。在這個階段，各位學子可以認真研讀1994-2003年的真題，從真題中汲取營養，攻克詞匯和語法長難句。7月份之前，如果各位考生能夠將10年47篇文章做到精讀，相信大家的詞匯和語法長難句一定會有大的突破，并且為強化階段的學習奠定堅實的基礎。
2016考研英語閱讀真題精選：1995年Text4
Personality is to a large extent inherent—A-type parents usually bring about A-type offspring. But the environment must also have a profound effect, since if competition is important to the parents; it is likely to become a major factor in the lives of their children.
One place where children soak up A-characteristics is school, which is, by its very nature, a highly competitive institution. Too many schools adopt the “win at all costs” moral standard and measure their success by sporting achievements. The current passion for making children compete against their classmates or against the clock produces a two-layer system , in which competitive A types seem in some way better than their B-type fellows. Being too keen to win can have dangerous consequences: remember that Pheidippides, the first marathon runner, dropped dead seconds after saying: “Rejoice, we conquer!”
By far the worst form of competition in schools is the disproportionate emphasis on examinations. It is a rare school that allows pupils to concentrate on those things they do well. The merits of competition by examination are somewhat questionable, but competition in the certain knowledge of failure is positively harmful.
Obviously, it is neither practical nor desirable that all A youngsters change into B’s. The world needs types, and schools have an important duty to try to fit a child’s personality to his possible future employment. It is top management.
If the preoccupation of schools with academic work was lessened, more time might be spent teaching children surer values. Perhaps selection for the caring professions, especially medicine, could be made less by good grades in chemistry and more by such considerations as sensitivity and sympathy. It is surely a mistake to choose our doctors exclusively from A type stock. B’s are important and should be encouraged.
13. According to the passage, A-type individuals are usually _______.
[A] impatient [B] considerate [C] aggressive [D] agreeable
14. The author is strongly opposed to the practice of examinations at schools because
_______.
[A] the pressure is too great on the students
[B] some students are bound to fail
[C] failure rates are too high
[D] the results of exanimations are doubtful
15. The selection of medical professionals is currently based on _______.
[A] candidates’ sensitivity [B] academic achievements
[C] competitive spirit [D] surer values
16. From the passage we can draw the conclusion that _______.
[A] the personality of a child is well established at birth
[B] family influence dominates the shaping of one’s characteristics
[C] the development of one’s personality is due to multiple factors
[D] B-type characteristics can find no place in competitive society
一、快速瀏覽選項，把握文章主題
根據題干中“examination”, “school”,可知本文的主題一定與學校考試有關。
二、精讀各段落，攻克詞匯和語法長難句
詞匯精解
(1) extent (n.)程度，廣度，寬度，長度，限度，面積，范圍;to a large ~ 在很大程度上，to some/what/such an/a certain~達到某種程度;
(2) inherent (a.)天生的，固有的，內在的，~ in sb./sth;inherently (adv.) ;
(3) sport (v.)炫耀，夸示， ~ achievements 夸耀成就;(n.)運動;(pl.)運動會
(4) be keen to do sth./on sth./on doing sth./ that渴望做某事，熱衷于某事，對……有興趣，喜歡。如：He is very keen to see his birthplace again.
(5) rejoice (v.)(使)欣喜，(使)高興
(6) conquer (v.) 戰勝，征服;克服，破除(壞習慣);conquest (n.)
(7) disproportionate (a.) 不成比例的;proportionate (a.) 成比例的，均衡的，相稱的;
(8) fit (v.) 使適合，使配合，適應，裝配，~sth. to sth.與……相稱
(9) preoccupation (n.)主要關心的事，全神貫注，搶先占有;preoccupy (v.)
(10) stock (n.)某一類人;祖先，世系，家族;備料，庫存，現貨;股票，公債
長難句精解
?、貰ut the environment must also have a profound effect, since if competition is important to the parents, it is likely to become a major factor in the lives of their children.
該句的主干是environment must have a profound effect，后面是since引導的原因狀語從句，其中又含有if引導的條件從句。分號后“it”指的是competition。
譯文：但是環境也應該有深遠的影響，因為如果競爭對父母來說很重要，那它也可能成為孩子生活中的一個重要因素。
?、贠ne place where children soak up A-characteristics is school , which is, by its very nature, a highly competitive institution.
此句中主干是one place is school，其中主語One place后是where引導的定語從句，賓語school后是which引導的非限定性定語從句修飾，by its very nature是這一從句中的插入成分，意思是“就其性質而言”。soak up原意是“吸收”，如：Blotting paper soaks up ink.吸墨紙吸收墨水，在此句中表示“培養”。
譯文：學校是培養A型孩子的場所，從本質來講，學校是一個高度競爭性的機構。
?、跿he current passion for making children compete against their classmates or against the clock produces a two-layer system, in which competitive A-types seem in some way better than their B-type fellows.
該句的主干是The current passion… produces a two-layer system。主語passion后是介詞短語做后置定語，即for making sb. do against sb. or against sth.;賓語system后接的是in which引導的非限定性從句。
譯文：目前熱衷于讓孩子與同學競爭或與時間賽跑造成了一種雙重體制。在這種體制中，競爭性的A型學生在某些方面似乎比B型的學生要好。
?、蹷y far the worst form of competition in schools is the disproportionate emphasis on examinations.
by far與比較級或是最高級連用時相當于by a large amount or degree，表示“大大地，……得多”之意，如：She is the smartest by far.(她顯然最聰明)。Proportionate意思是“成比例的，相稱的”;dis-表示“不”，因此disproportionate就是“不合比例的”，考慮上下文disproportionate emphasis應是“過分重視”之意。
譯文：學校最糟糕的競爭方式是對考試的過分重視。
?、軮f the preoccupation of schools with academic work was lessened, more time might be spent teaching children surer values.
本句為if引導的虛擬語氣，表示與事實相反的情況。句中的preoccupation with sth.意思是“對……專心致志”，如：preoccupation with one’s career對于自己事業的專心致志。
譯文：如果學校對學業少強調一些，也許就有更多的時間向孩子傳授更重要的價值觀念。
三、作答題目，理解文章含義
13.【答案】C
【解析】詞義句意題。本題考查A型性格的特征。此題的解題關鍵是找出出現描述A型性格的詞的句子。在第二段首句，出現“one place where children soak up A characteristics is school… which is a highly competitive institution”。本段第三句再次提到“competitive A types”，這表明A型兒童的特征是“competitive”。 因此只要在選項中找到與“competitive”意義相近之詞便可以了。competitive意為“好競爭的”，而C選項與之意思很接近，為正確答案。“aggressive”既含褒義，也有貶義，可理解為“進攻性的”、“好斗的”、“積極進取的”。A、B和D選項均與這一含義無關，故排除。
14.【答案】B
【解析】事實細節題。在第三段首句“學校最糟糕的競爭方式是對考試的過分重視”中，作者表示了對考試的否定態度;接著末句直接指出否定它的原因：“在明知有人考試會通不過的情況下(certain knowledge of failure)還要進行競爭，則肯定是有害的”。B選項恰合此意，為正確答案。be bound to 意思是：一定，必定。
而A選項和C選項在文中均未涉及，故排除。D選項與該段第三句的內容不一致。原文并非說考試成績是否真正反映學生的真實水平或能力值得懷疑，而是說考試這種形式作為一個促使學生競爭的手段是否合適值得進一步探討。
注意：“certain knowledge of failure”中的“knowledge”并不是知識之意，而是“know”的名詞形式，“了解，知道”。
15.【答案】B
【解析】推理判斷題。文章末段第二句作者提到… selection for… medicine could be made less by good grades in chemistry and more by such considerations as sensitivity and sympathy(選擇醫療護理人員時，應該多關注他們是否細心、是否有同情心，而少參照他們的化學成績)。這里grades有“成績，分數”的意思。言下之意是當前考慮學業成績過多。因此，B選項是正確答案。
而A選項正是作者希望受到重視的一個方面，不是現況。C選項是A型學生的特點，但是文中并未說選擇醫療工作以此為標準。D選項也是作者希望多加關注的標準。
16.【答案】C
【解析】推理判斷題。在文章第一段，作者指出：人的個性在很大程度上是先天決定的;繼而用but一詞，引出后天環境的影響;在隨后的段落中，作者著重分析學校教育環境對個性發展的影響，主張學校不要過分看重競爭，要鼓勵孩子多種個性的發展。由此可以推出C選項概括了文章的要點，為正確答案。
A選項與首段第二句談到的環境對個性的形成也有深刻影響的觀點矛盾。B選項中“dominate”一詞過于絕對。文中的觀點是兒童性格的形成既由先天決定，又有環境影響，未分輕重。D選項無從推知，作者在末段以醫務工作為例，只是強調B型性格的人應該被重視，而未指出B型性格的人在社會中無立足之地。
四、 翻譯全文，再次鞏固復習詞匯和語法長難句
人的個性很大程度上取決于遺傳—A型父母通常生養出A型子女。但是環境也應該有深遠的影響，因為如果競爭對父母來說很重要，那它也可能成為孩子生活中的一個重要因素。
學校是培養A型孩子的場所，從本質來講，學校是一個高度競爭性的機構。太多的學校遵從“不惜一切代價求勝”的道德標準并以運動成績來衡量其成功。目前熱衷于讓孩子與同學競爭或與時間賽跑造成了一種雙重體制。在這種體制中，競爭性的A型學生在某些方面似乎比B型的學生要好。對勝利過于執著也會帶來危險的后果。請記住，第一位馬拉松運動員菲底庇德斯在說完“歡慶吧，我們征服了!”之后幾秒鐘便倒地喪生。
學校最糟糕的競爭方式是對考試的過分重視。能允許學生專注于所擅長之事的學校實為罕見。通過考試競爭這種做法的好處本身有點值得懷疑，但在明確知曉有人會在考試中失敗的前提下仍進行競爭是肯定有害的。
顯然，讓所有A型兒童都轉變為B型既不現實也并不必要。世界需要不同的類型，學校的重要職責就是要努力使兒童的個性適合于他將來的職業。這是最高水平的教育經營。
如果學校少強調一下學業，也許就有更多的時間向孩子傳授更重要的價值觀念。也許對照料性職業的人員選擇，尤其是醫務工作，可以少參照他們的化學成績，而要更多地考慮他們的敏感性和同情心。完全從A型人中挑選醫生肯定是錯誤的。B型人也很重要，應該受到鼓勵。