【正文】 北京外國語大學(xué) 20xx 年碩士研究生入學(xué)考試基礎(chǔ)英語試題 Ple ase w ri t e al l t he ans w e r s on t he a ns w er shee t s. T i m e Lim i t ： 3 ho urs T he t ot al poi nts f or t hi s e x am ar e 150 poi nts I . R ea di ng C om pr ehensi o n ( 50 poi nts ) A Mul t i pl e C hoi ce ( 24 p oi n t s) Ple ase r ead t he pass a ges an d choos e A 、 B 、 C or D t o bes t pl et e t he st at em ent s about t hem . T he Q ui et C ri si s C l ose gam es f or t he A m er i cans w er e r ar e i n pr ev i ous O l y m pi cs , but now i t appear s t o be som et hi ng t he A m er i cans shoul d get use d t o . Y ou coul d f i nd no bet t er m et aphor f or t he w ay t he r es t of t he w or l d can now pet e head to head m or e ef f ect i v e l y t han ev er w i t h A m er i ca t han t he st r uggl es of t he U . S. O l y m pi c bas ket bal l t eam i n 200 4. Th e A m er i can t eam , m ade up of N B A st ar s , l i m ped hom e t o a br onz e m edal af t er l os i ng t o P u er t o R i co , L i t huani a , and A r gent i na. P r ev i ousl y , t he U ni t ed S t at es O l y m pi c bas ket bal l t eam had l ost onl y one gam e i n t he hi st or y of t he m oder n O l y m pi cs . R em em ber w hen A m er i ca se nt onl y N C A A s t ar s t o t he O l y m pi c bas ket bal l ev ent s? F or a l ong t i m e t hes e t eam s t ot al l y do m i nat ed al l cor ner s . Then t hey st ar t ed get t i ng c hal l enged. So w e se nt our pr os. A nd t hey st ar t ed get t i ng chal l enged. B ecaus e t he w or l d keeps l ear n i ng , t he di f f usi on of k now l e dge ha ppens f as t e r。 coache s i n ot her cou nt r i es now dow nl oad A m er i c an coachi ng m et hods of f t he I nt er and w at ch N B A gam es i n t hei r ow n l i v i ng r oom s on sa t el l i t e TV . Ma ny of t hem can ev en get E S PN and w at ch t he hi g hl i ght r eel s. A nd t ha nks t o t he t r i pl e co n v er gence , t her e i s a l ot of ne w r aw t al ent w al ki ng ont o t he N B A cour t s f r o m al l ov er t he w or l d — i ncl udi ng m an y new st ar s f r om C hi na , L a t i n A m er i ca , and East er n Euro pe. They go back a nd pl ay f or t hei r nat i onal t eam s i n t he O l y m pi cs , usi ng t he ski l l s t he y honed i n A m er i ca. So t he aut om at i c A m er i can supe r i or i t y of t w ent y y ear s ago i s now gone i n O l y m p i c bas ket bal l . The N B A st andar d i s i ncr eas i ngl y be i n g a gl obal m odi t y — pur e vani l l a. I f t he U ni t ed S t at es w ant s t o cont i nue t o dom i nat e i n O l y m pi c bas ket bal l , w e m ust , i n t hat gr eat spor t s cl i ch233。 , st ep i t up a not c h. T h e ol d st and ar d w on ? t do any m or e. A s J oel C aw l ey of I B M r em ar ked t o m e , “ S t ar f or st ar , t he bas ket bal l t eam s f r om pl aces l i ke L i t huani a or Puer t o R i c o st i l l don 39。 t r ank w el l v er sus t he A m er i cans , but w hen t h e y pl a y as a t eam — w hen t he y col l abor at e bet t er t han w e do , t hey ar e ext r em el y pet i t i v e. ” There i s som et hi ng about p ost w or l d W ar Ⅱ A m er i ca t hat r em i nds m e of t he cl as si c w eal t h y f am i l y t hat b y t he t hi r d g ener at i on st ar t s t o squa nde r i t s w eal t h. The m e m ber s of t he f i r st gener at i on ar e nose to t he g r i ndst one i nnov at or s , t he se cond gen er at i on hol ds i t al l t oget her t he n t hei r ki ds e al ong and g et f at , dum b , and l azy and sl ow l y squa nder i t al l . I know t hat i s bot h ov er l y har sh and a gr oss g ener al i zat i on , but t her e i s , nev er t hel es s , som e t r ut h i n i t . A m er i can soc i et y st ar t ed t o coas t i n t he 1990s , w hen our t hi r d post w ar gener at i on cam e of ag e. The d ot boom l ef t t oo m an y peopl e w i t h t he i m pr es s i on t hat t hey coul d get r i ch w i t hout i nv es t i ng i n har d w or k. A l l i t t ook w as an M B A a nd a q ui ck I PO , or o ne N B A c ont r act , and y ou w er e se t f or l i f e. B ut w hi l e w e w er e adm i r i ng t he f l at w or l d w e had cr eat ed , a l ot of peopl e i n I ndi a , C hi na , and East er n Euro pe w er e bus y f i gur i ng out how t o t ake adv a nt age of i t . L uck y f or us , w e w er e t he onl y econom y st andi ng af t er W or l d W ar Ⅱ , an d w e ha d no se r i ous c om pet i t i on f or f or t y y ear s. That g av e us a hu ge h ead of st eam but al so a hu ge se nse of e nt i t l e m ent and c om pl acenc y — not t o m ent i on a cer t ai n t endency i n r ecent y ear s t o ext ol cons u m pt i on ov er har d w or k , i nv es t m ent , and l ong t er m t hi nki ng. When w e got hi t w i t h 9 ／ 11 , i t w as a once in a gener at i on oppor t uni t y t o sum m on t he nat i on t o sa cr i f i ce , t o addr es s som e of i t s pr es si ng f i sc al , ener g y , sc i ence , an d educat i on shor t f al l s — al l t he t hi ngs t hat w e had l et sl i de. B ut our pr es i d ent di d not s um m on us t o sa cr i f i ce. H e s um m oned us t o go sho ppi ng. The t r ut h i s , w e ar e i n a cr i si s now , but i t i s a cr i si s t hat i s unf ol di ng v er y sl ow l y a nd v er y qui et l y . I t i s a qui et cr i si s an d t hi s qui et cr i si s i nv ol v es t he st eady er osi on of A m er i ca 39。 s sc i ent i f i c and engi neer i ng bas e , w hi c h has al w a y s been t he sour ce of A m er i can i nnov a t i on and our r i si ng st andar d of l i v i ng. “ The sky i s not f al l i ng , not h i ng hor r i bl e i s goi ng t o h app en t oday , ”