2014年考研英语二真题及答案详解完整版

Section I Use of English

Directions:

Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)

Thinner isn’t always better. A number of studies have __1___ that normal-weight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are health conditions for which being overweight is actually ___2___. For example, heavier women are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. ___3___ among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an ___4___ of good health.

Of even greater ___5___ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined ___6___ body mass index, or BMI. BMI ___7__ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, ___8___,can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.

While such numerical standards seem 9 , they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, 10 others with a low BMI may be in poor 11  .For example, many collegiate and professional football players 12 as obese, though their percentage body fat is low. Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a 13  BMI.

Today we have a(an) _14 _ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes_15_in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes _16_ with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. _17_very young children tend to look down on the overweight, and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.

Negative attitudes toward obesity, _18_in health concerns, have stimulated a number of anti-obesity _19_.My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama launched a high-visibility campaign _20_ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.

1. [A] denied           [B] concluded       [C] doubled                [D] ensured

2. [A] protective         [B] dangerous       [C] sufficient              [D]troublesome

3. [A] Instead           [B] However         [C] Likewise                [D] Therefore

4. [A] indicator          [B] objective        [C] origin                  [D] example

5. [A] impact          [B] relevance       [C] assistance             [D] concern

6. [A] in terms of        [B] in case of       [C] in favor of              [D] in of

7. [A] measures         [B] determines     [C] equals                   [D] modifies

8. [A] in essence         [B] in contrast      [C] in turn               [D] in part

9. [A] complicated       [B] conservative     [C] variable              [D] straightforward

10. [A] so                 [B] while            [C] since                [D] unless

11. [A] shape              [B] spirit            [C] balance              [D] taste

12. [A] start              [B] quality           [C] retire                [D] stay

13. [A] strange          [B] changeable       [C] normal              [D] constant

14. [A] option             [B] reason            [C] opportunity           [D] tendency

15. [A] employed        [B] pictured          [C] imitated              [D] monitored

16. [A] computed         [B] combined        [C] settled               [D] associated

17. [A] Even             [B] Still             [C] Yet                 [D] Only

18. [A] despised         [B] corrected          [C] ignored              [D] grounded

19. [A] discussions      [B] businesses        [C] policies              [D] studies

20. [A] for                [B] against          [C] with                 [D] without

SectionⅠUse of English

文章分析

本文是一篇关于肥胖与健康关系新说法的议论文。第一段引出作者对身材的看法：并不是越瘦就证明人越健康。第二段中作者介绍了一种定义肥胖症的指标 BMI。第三段中作者指出 BMI 其实揭示的是人体的脂肪量，并不是说明身材好坏的指数。第四段中讲述了整个社会其实会给肥胖者贴上消极标签，无论是在电视节目中还是在孩子们的心目中，胖人的形象总是与消极联系起来。最后一段讲述了人们以健康的角度去考虑肥胖的影响，和已经采取的一些对抗肥胖的种种策略。

试题解析
Thinner isn't always better. A number of studies have __1__ that normalweight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight. And there are healthy conditions for which being overweight is actually __2__. For example, heavierwomen are less likely to develop calcium deficiency than thin women. __3__,among the elderly, being somewhat overweight is often an __4__ of good health.

【译文】太瘦也不总是好事。一些研究已经得出结论：正常体重的人实际上比一些超重的人更容易患上某些疾病。有些肥胖对健康还有保护作用。例如稍微超重的女性跟消瘦的女性相比，不易受到钙质缺乏的影响。同样的，在老年人中，一定程度上超重是身体健康的标志。

1.[A] denied 否认 [B] concluded 得出结论 [C] doubled 两倍，加倍努力 [D] ensured 确保

【答案】B

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“一系列的研究已经________，事实上，正常体重的人患病风险要高于超重的人”。根据句义，后面的部分实际上是研究结论，因此 B 项 concluded 符合题意。

【命题思路】本题根据上下文所给信息判断答案，同时也考查考生对相近含义的词汇辨析。

【干扰排除】A 项 denied“否认”，与原文意义相反；C 项 doubled“翻倍”，与题意较远；D 项 ensured“确保”，不符合题意，因为研究不能确保后面的事实，只能得出后面的事实作为结论。

2.[A] protective 防护的，保护的 [B] dangerous 危险的 [C] sufficient 足够的，充分的 [D] troublesome 麻烦的

【答案】A

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“对于某些健康情况，超重事实上是有________”。根据前文研究的结论，下文的举例说明是对该句的具体论述。综上可知，超重能减少罹患疾病的风险，说明超重具有一定的保护作用。

【命题思路】本题根据上下文所给信息判断答案，同时也考查考生对形容词的辨析。

【干扰排除】句首以 And 开头，说明在语义上该句与上一句是并列相关的，强调肥胖对健康的好处。B项dangerous“危险的”，与文章意思相反；C 项 sufficient“充足的”，D 项 troublesome“麻烦的”，不符合题意。

3.[A] Instead 代替，反而 [B] However 然而，不管怎样 [C] Likewise 同样地 [D] Therefore 因此

【答案】C

【考点】逻辑关系

【直击答案】第四、五句话举例说明。“体重较重的女人患缺钙的比例低于较瘦的女人。________，在老年人中，一定程度上超重是身体健康的________”。需要填入的是和前半句表示顺接的词语。A项Instead和B项However 表示逆接的句意关系，D 项 Therefore 表示因果关系。只有 C 项 Likewise“同样地；也，而且”，表示顺接关系，符合题意。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文语义关系的理解。

【干扰排除】这个题目的难点在于为什么不能将最后一句理解为跟上文相反的转折关系呢，比如：然而，在老年人中，一定程度上超重是身体健康的(克星/障碍)，但是下文的第四个空给的备选词并没有类似括号里我们猜测的消极含义词汇，所以，所猜想的转折语义关系也不成立，只能选表示顺接关系的词汇 likewise。

4.[A] indicator 指标 [B] objective 目标 [C] origin 来源 [D] example 实例；例证

【答案】A

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“同样的，一定程度上超重，经常是健康的________”。根据前面的文章内容，已经明确指出超重代表了健康，因此超重是健康的指标。因此正确答案为 A 项。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文语义的正确把握。

【干扰排除】干扰性强的是 B 项，有考生会将其理解为“客观物质”，但原文结构中此处需要一个名词，objective“客观的”是形容词， objective 作名词时意为“目标”，另有考生被形近词 objection“反对”干扰。

Of even greater __5__ is the fact that obesity turns out to be very difficult to define. It is often defined __6__ body mass index, or BMI. BMI __7__ body mass divided by the square of height. An adult with a BMI of 18 to 25 is often considered to be normal weight. Between 25 and 30 is overweight. And over 30 is considered obese. Obesity, __8__,can be divided into moderately obese, severely obese, and very severely obese.

【译文】需要更加关注是，很难对肥胖加以定义。肥胖经常根据身体质量指数来定义，或叫做 BMI，它等于身体重量除以身高平方。正常成年人的是 BMI 值应该在 18～25 之间。25～30 的话视为超重。30 以上视为肥胖。肥胖依次能够分为中度肥胖、重度肥胖和极度肥胖。

5.[A] impact 影响，效果 [B] relevance 相关性 [C] assistance 辅助 [D] concern 关系，关心

【答案】D

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“需要更加________是，很难对肥胖加以定义”。前文已经说到肥胖事实上有利健康，但是又面临一个问题，到底如何去定义肥胖，因此需要更加关注的是对肥胖的定义，其他选项均不符合题意，所以正确答案为 D 项。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文语义的正确把握。

【干扰排除】A 项 impact“影响，效果”，B 项 relevance“相关性”，C 项 assistance“辅助”此处空格前有 even greater来修饰，将这几个干扰项的名词含义代入检测，都与上文没有必要的相关性，所以都不可作为答案。

6.[A] in terms of 依据，根据 [B] in case of 万一，假设 [C] in favor of 有利于，支持 [D] in respect of 关于，涉及

【答案】A

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“肥胖经常________体质指数，或称为 BMI 来定义”。下文根据 BMI 指数的不同对肥胖进行了分级。由此可知，BMI 是一种根据。A 项 in terms of 意为“根据…… ，就…… 而言”，符合句意，为正确答案。在医学研究和临床测试中经常使用 BMI 作为衡量受试者健康的重要指标，希望考生能够记住这一背景知识，方便日后做题。

【命题思路】本题考查对句意的理解，并考查常见词组的辨析。

【干扰排除】B 项 in case of“万一，假设”，C 项 in favor of“赞成，以……来取代”，D 项 in respect of “关于”。将此三项代入文中，均不符合题意。这些短语的考查频率非常高，有些已经成为真题中常见的干扰项，同学们在复习时要加强记忆。

7.[A] measures 测量 [B] determines 决定 [C] equals 等同于 [D] modifies 修改

【答案】C

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“BMI________体重除以身高的平方”。此处用文字叙述了 BMI 指数得出的方法，也就是一个数学公式，所以 equals 符合题意。

【命题思路】本题考查对句意的理解，并考查动词辨析。

【干扰排除】A 项是强干扰项，有考生看到空格后面是一些计算 BMI 的方法，可能在不太清楚句意的时候会联想到“测量”的概念，实际上这里需要选择“所指，等同于”的概念。

8.[A] in essence 本质上 [B] in contrast 相反 [C] in turn 轮流，依次 [D] in part 部分地

【答案】C

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“肥胖________能够分成中度肥胖、重度肥胖和极度肥胖”。根据语境，本句是将肥胖依次分级，分析四个选项，A 项 in essence“事实上，本质上”，B 项 in contrast“相反地”，C 项 in turn“依次”，D 项 in part“部分地”，C 项符合题意。

【命题思路】本题考查对句意的理解，并考查相似介词短语辨析。

【干扰排除】此处需要一个插入语来顺成上下文的关系，由于下文也没有揭示肥胖构成的事实，所以 A 项不成立。上下文不存在对立关系，所以不能选 B 项。D 项不符合语义。

While such numerical standards seem __9__， they are not. Obesity is probably less a matter of weight than body fat. Some people with a high BMI are in fact extremely fit, __10__ others with a low BMI may be in poor __11__. For example, many collegiate and professional football players __12__ as obese, though their percentage body fat is low.Conversely, someone with a small frame may have high body fat but a __13__ BMI.

【译文】虽然这些数字标准看起来直截了当，实际却不是这样。肥胖相比体重而言，更强调脂肪含量。有些人BMI值很高，但是身材却相当好，有些人BMI值虽然低，但是体型却很差。例如，有些职业足球运动员被认为很胖，但是身体脂肪量却很低。相反，一些小个头的胖子BMI值却正常。

9.[A] complicated 复杂的，难懂的 [B] conservative 保守的 [C] variable 可变的，易变的 [D]straightforward 简单的，直接的

【答案】D

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“相比之下，这样的数字标准看起来________，实际上不是的”。这里的数字标准指肥胖指数，且下文也讲述了 BMI 指数的高低并不与身材的好坏成正比，只是这些数字看起来好像能反映与身材之间的关系而已。D 项 straightforward“直截了当的”，符合题意，因此为正确答案。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文语义的理解，并考查形容词辨析。

【干扰排除】肥胖指数分为三类，而且算法比较简单，所以 A 项 complicated“复杂的”不正确。B conservative“保守的”，用于描述一种数学公式，不恰当。一名患者或一名受试者的 BMI 一般是确定的，因此C项variable“可变的”也不符合题意。
10.[A] so 所以 [B] while 然而 [C] since 既然，自从 [D] unless 除非

【答案】B

【考点】逻辑关系

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“一些人有很高的 BMI，实际上身材正好，________其他人有较低的 BMI 指数，可能________”。从前半句可看出，有些人的 BMI 指数很高，应该属于体重肥胖的人，事实上身材正好，这里说明的是反常的现象，后半句是其他人的 BMI 指数较低，而________较差。四个选项中只有 while 有转折的含义，其他选项均不符合题意，所以正确答案为 B 项。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文语义关系的正确把握。

【干扰排除】A 项表示因果关系，C 项表示原因或让步关系，D 项表示让步关系，都不能体现上下文之间的对立关系，非正确答案。

11.[A] shape 形状，身材 [B] spirit 精神，心灵 [C] balance 平衡，匀称 [D] taste 味道，品味

【答案】A

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】本句可简化为：Some … are fit, while others …may be in poor ________.从中可看出前后意义相反，且fit(体型健康的)与in poor ______对应，与之最相关是A项shape“外形”，故为正确答案。

【命题思路】本题考查对句意的正确把握。

【干扰排除】根据上面分析，只要看出前后两句之间明显的对立且对应关系，将其他干扰答案项代入，“精神”、“均衡”、“品味”都与原文相差较远，可以排除。

12.[A] start 开始，启动 [B] qualify 使有资格，被认为 [C] retire 退休 [D] stay 停留，坚持

【答案】B

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】本句顺应前文意义：有一些人体型很好，有些人体型肥胖。接着举例说有些专业足球运动员____是肥胖的，然而他们的身体脂肪量却很低。B 项 qualify“被认为”符合句意，正确。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文句意的正确把握。

【干扰排除】将 A、C、D 项代入文中，“开始”、“退休”和“停留”不符合句意。

13.[A] strange 奇怪的 [B] changeable 可改变的 [C] normal 正常的 [D] constant 不变的，恒定的

【答案】C

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】干扰排除本句不难理解，因为句首有 conversely 与上文构成语义对立， 讲有些人个头小，脂肪量过高，但是BMI却____。所需词汇明显是积极方向的，C项“正常的”，为正确答案。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文句意的正确把握。

【干扰排除】根据句意，排除 A、B 项。D 项属于比较中性的词，且不符合句意。

Today we have a(an) __14__ to label obesity as a disgrace. The overweight are sometimes __15__ in the media with their faces covered. Stereotypes __16__with obesity include laziness, lack of will power, and lower prospects for success. Teachers, employers, and health professionals have been shown to harbor biases against the obese. __17__very young children tend to look down on the overweight,and teasing about body build has long been a problem in schools.

【译文】今天我们都有向肥胖贴歧视标签的趋势。媒体中呈现肥胖者时通常把他们的脸盖起来。与肥胖联系起来的原型总是包括懒惰，缺乏意志力，对成功的期望值不高。教师，雇员和健康工作者都是对肥胖抱有偏见。甚至小孩子也看不起肥胖的者，在学校嘲笑身材体型不好的同学一直是一个存在的问题。

14.[A] option 选择(权) [B] reason 原因 [C] opportunity 机会 [D] tendency 趋势

【答案】D

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在的后半句：to label obesity as disgrace(给肥胖贴上丢人的标签)，作为空格处的后置定语。下文也在讲述媒体、老师、雇员、健康工作者和孩子们都倾向于鄙视肥胖症的。D 项符合句意。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文信息的理解。

【干扰排除】将 A、B、C 三个选项，“选择(权)”、“理由”、“机会”代入空格处，均与文意不符。

15.[A] employed 雇佣 [B] pictured 描绘 [C] imitated 模仿 [D] monitored 监控

【答案】B

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】上句提到了我们都倾向于给肥胖贴上歧视的标签，空格所在句提到了媒体，媒体中将肥胖者的面部成像都进行了面部隐藏处理。根据语境，四个选项中，跟媒体相关的词汇只有 C 项 picture“刻画，描写，描述”，因此为正确答案。

【命题思路】本题考查对句意的理解，并考查动词辨析。

【干扰排除】此处所提供的选项都是过去分词作 the overweight 的后置定语，A 项代入后可理解为“被媒体雇佣的肥胖者”，但是后面的介词应该用 by。C、D 两项代入后语义与全文不符。

16.[A] computed 计算 [B] combined 联合 [C] settled 固定 [D] associated 联系

【答案】D

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“肥胖会与原型___包括懒惰、缺乏意志力和对成功的期望值不高”。空格后面提到的懒惰、缺乏意志力和对成功的期望值不高都是与肥胖进行的人为关联，分析四个选项，D 项 associated“联系”，符合句意。

【命题思路】本题考查对句意的理解，并考查动词辨析。

【干扰排除】首先在结构上能与 with 构成搭配四个选项都可以实现。但是 A 项因为与原文语义差别较大，可首先排除。B 项强调“联合”，与原文的“联系”有细微的差别，语义上不能说“原型与某些品质联合”。

17.[A] Even 甚至 [B] Still 仍然 [C] Yet 然而 [D] Only 仅仅

【答案】A

【考点】逻辑关系

【直击答案】空格所在句意为“是___小孩子蔑视超重，而且对身材的嘲笑一直是学校的一个问题”。空格缺少一个副词，构成与上文的联系。上文讲到了大人们都在歧视肥胖(教师、雇员、健康工作者)。根据语境，此处应该填入表示递进关系的词汇，分析四个选项，只有 A 项 Even “即使”符合题意。

【命题思路】本题考查上下文的语义关系。

【干扰排除】B 项Still表示递进关系时其后一般要加逗号。C项Yet用表示上下文的对立关系中。D项Only引导条件关系，与原文语义不符。

Negative attitudes toward obesity, __18__ in health concerns, have stimulated a number of antiobesity __19__. My own hospital system has banned sugary drinks from its facilities. Many employers have instituted weight loss and fitness initiatives. Michelle Obama has launched a high visibility campaign __20__ childhood obesity, even claiming that it represents our greatest national security threat.

【译文】基于健康考虑的对肥胖的消极态度，已经引发一系列的对抗肥胖的相关措施。我自己工作的医院的供饮设备已经停止发放含糖饮料。很多雇员已经有了减肥健身的积极性。米歇尔奥巴马已经倡议发起一些明确的对抗儿童发胖的活动，甚至表明它是我们国家最大的安全威胁。

18.[A] despised 蔑视 [B] corrected 修正 [C] ignored 忽视 [D] grounded 以……为基础

【答案】D

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】空格前讲到对肥胖的负面态度，空格后讲到对健康的关注，激发一批反肥胖的________。本句没有出现任何转折词，说明空格前后所表达的意思是一致的，反对肥胖，是基于对健康的关注。分析四个选项，能够表达此意思的词汇，只有 D 项 grounded“基于”。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文的语义的理解。

【干扰排除】此空是一个过去分词构成短语作插入语，修饰本句主语 negative attitudes，意为“……的健康关注”，将其他三项语义“受到健康关注的轻视”“基于健康关注的修正”和“对健康关注的忽视”代进去都与原文语义不符，因此不可选。

19.[A] discussions 论述，讨论 [B] businesses 商业，交易 [C] policies 政策 [D] studies 研究，学习

【答案】D

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】解答此题需要联系空格后面紧跟着的句子。空后的句子出现了一系列表示同一个语义场的词汇，如 hospital system，ban，many employers institute, 指向的意思是一个系统中所出台的政策的问题。浏览四个选项，D项policies 符合题意，直接入选。

【命题思路】本题考查对上下文的语义的理解。

【干扰排除】D 项是强干扰项，代入原文与空格部分形成“对抗肥胖的研究”，但此含义与下文出现的语义场不吻合，因为“研究”一般多出自于机构，科研院所等层面的场所，医院更多是治病救人的地方。

20.[A] for 为了 [B] against 反对，对立 [C] with 随着 [D] without 没有

【答案】B

【考点】词义辨析

【直击答案】本段的主题是反对肥胖，本句话属于细节的句子，用来支持主题，空格所在句讲到米歇尔·奥巴马已经发起了一个高知名度的活动____儿童肥胖，甚至告诉奥兹博士，它代表了我们国家最大的安全威胁。空格词汇应该含有“反对，反抗”的意思。纵观四个选项，只有 B 项 against 符合题意。

【命题思路】本题考查对句子意思的理解。

【干扰排除】其他三个选项使用代入法验证， A 项 for“对于，因为”干扰性强，代入原文意为“关于儿童肥胖的活动”，与原文语义不符，故不正确。

核心词汇

deficiency n. 缺陷，缺点 obesity n. 肥大，肥胖

overweight n. 超重 define vt. 给……下定义，解释；限定，规定

divide vt.划分，除 collegiate a. 大学的，学院的

conversely ad.相反地 frame n. 框架，结构

disgrace n. 耻辱 v．使…… 失宠，丢脸 prospect n. 前景；景象

tease vt. 戏弄，取笑 harbor n. 海港 vt.庇护，怀有

bias n. 偏见，偏心，偏袒 vt.使有偏见 stimulate vt. 刺激，激励

facility n. 设施，工具 security n. 安全，保障；抵押品；[pl.] 证券

长难句分析

A number of studies have concluded that normalweight people are in fact at higher risk of some diseases compared to those who are overweight.

【分析】该句是一个复合句，句子的主干是 studies haveconcluded that，宾语由 that 引导的从句组成。从句主干是 people are higher risk, 过去分词短语 compared to…作 diseases 的后置定语，从句的后半部分还嵌有一个定语从句 who are overweight，该句的先行词是 those，指那些肥胖的人。

Section II Reading Comprehension

Part A

Directions:

Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)

Text 1
What would you do with $590m? This is now a question for Gloria Mackenzie, an 84-­year-­old widow who recently emerged from her small, tin-­roofed house in Florida to collect the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history. If she hopes her new-­found fortune will yield lasting feelings of fulfillment, she could do worse than read Happy Money by Elizabeth Dumn and Michael Norton.

These two academics use an array of behavioral research to show that the most rewarding ways to spend money can be counterintuitive. Fantasies of great wealth often involve visions of fancy cars and extravagant homes. Yet satisfaction with these material purchases wears off fairly quickly. What was once exciting and new becomes old­hat; regret creeps in. It is far better to spend money on experiences, say Ms. Dumn and Mr. Norton, like interesting trips, unique meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often become more valuable with time—as stories or memories—particularly if they involve feeling more connected to others.

This slim volume is packed with tips to help wage slaves as well as lottery winners get the most “happiness bang for your buck.” It seems most people would be better off if they could shorten their commutes to work, spend more time with friends and family and less of it watching television (something the average American spends a whopping two months a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it). Buying gifts or giving to charity is often more pleasurable than purchasing things for oneself, and luxuries are most enjoyable when they are consumed sparingly. This is apparently the reason MacDonald's restricts the availability of its popular McRib—a marketing trick that has turned the pork sandwich into an object of obsession.

Readers of Happy Money are clearly a privileged lot, anxious about fulfillment, not hunger. Money may not quite buy happiness, but people in wealthier countries are generally happier than those in poor ones. Yet the link between feeling good and spending money on others can be seen among rich and poor people around the world, and scarcity enhances the pleasure of most things for most people. Not everyone will agree with the authors’ policy ideas, which range from mandating more holiday time to reducing tax incentives for American homebuyers. But most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent.

21. According to Dumn and Norton, which of the following is the most rewarding purchase?

[A] A big house.    [B] A special tour.      [C] A stylish car.       [D] A rich meal.

22. The author's attitude toward Americans’ watching TV is ________.

[A] critical            [B] supportive           [C] sympathetic         [D] ambiguous

23. McRib is mentioned in Paragraph 3 to show that ________.

[A] consumers are sometimes irrational                     [B] popularity usually comes after quality

[C] marketing tricks are after effective                      [D] rarity generally increases pleasure

24. According to the last paragraph, Happy Money ________.

[A] has left much room for readers’ criticism           

[B] may prove to be a worthwhile purchase

[C] has predicted a wider income gap in the US        

[D] may give its readers a sense of achievement

25. This text mainly discusses how to ________.

[A] balance feeling good and spending money          

[B] spend large sums of money won in lotteries

[C] obtain lasting satisfaction from money spent       

[D] become more reasonable in spending on luxuries

Text 2
An article in Scientific America has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you’re more beautiful than you are. We have a deep­seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self­enhancing strategies to 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.

We rose tint our memories and put ourselves into self­affirming 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.

Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key studying into self­enhancement and attractiveness. Rather that have people simply rate their beauty compress 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. Visual recognition, reads the study, is “an automatic psychological process occurring rapidly and intuitively with little or no apparent conscious deliberation”. If the subjects quickly chose a falsely flattering image—which must did—they genuinely believed it was really how they looked.

Epley found no significant gender difference in responses. Nor was there any evidence that, those who self­enhance the must (that is, the participants who thought the most positively doctored picture were real) were doing so to make up for profound insecurities. In fact those who thought that the images higher up the attractiveness scale were real directly corresponded with those who showed other makers for having higher self­esteem. “I don't think the findings that we having have are any evidence of personal delusion”, says Epley. “It's a reflection simply of people generally thinking well of themselves’. If you are depressed, you won't be self­enhancing.

Knowing the results of Epley's study, it makes sense that why people heat photographs of themselves viscerally—on one level, they don't even recognize the person in the picture as themselves. Facebook therefore, is a self­enhancer's paradise, where people can share only the most flattering photos, the cream of their wit, style, beauty, intellect and lifestyles. “It's not that people's profiles are dishonest”, says Catalina Toma of Wiscon—Madison university,” but they portray an idealized version of themselves.

26. According to the first paragraph, social psychologists have found that ________.

[A] our self­ratings are unrealistically high             

[B] illusory superiority is a baseless effect

[C] our need for leadership is unnatural               

[D] self-­enhancing strategies are ineffective

27. Visual recognition is believed to be people's ________.

[A] rapid watching                                   [B] conscious choice  

[C] intuitive response                               [D] automatic self-­defence

28. Epley found that people with higher self­esteem tended to ________.

[A] underestimate their insecurities            [B] believe in their attractiveness

[C] cover up their depressions               [D] oversimplify their illusions

29. The word “viscerally” (Line 2, Para. 5) is closest in meaning to ________.

[A] instinctively    [B] occasionally        [C] particularly              [D] aggressively

30. It can be inferred that Facebook is self-­enhancer’s paradise because people can ________.

[A] present their dishonest profiles          [B] define their traditional life styles

[C] share their intellectual pursuits           [D] withhold their unflattering sides

Text 3
The concept of man versus machine is at least as old as the industrial revolution, but this phenomenon tends to be most acutely felt during economic downturns and fragile recoveries. And yet, it would be a mistake to think we are right now simply experiencing the painful side of a boom and bust cycle. Certain jobs have gone away for good, outmoded by machines. Since technology has such an insatiable appetite for eating up human jobs, this phenomenon will continue to restructure our economy in ways we can't immediately foresee.

When there is rapid improvement in the price and performance of technology, jobs that were once thought to be immune from automation suddenly become threatened. This argument has attracted a lot of attention, via the success of the book Race Against the Machine, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, who both hail from MIT's Center for Digital Business.

This is a powerful argument, and a scary one. And yet, John Hagel, author of The Power of Pull and other books, says Brynjolfsson and McAfee miss the reason why these jobs are so vulnerable to technology in the first place.

Hagel says we have designed jobs in the U. S. that tend to be “tightly scripted” and “highly standardized” ones that leave no room for “individual initiative or creativity.” In short, these are the types of jobs that machines can perform much better at than human beings. That is how we have put a giant target sign on the backs of American workers, Hagel says.

It's time to reinvent the formula for how work is conducted, since we are still relying on a very 20th century notion of work, Hagel says. In our rapidly changing economy, we more than ever need people in the workplace who can take initiative and exercise their imagination “to respond to unexpected events.” That's not something machines are good at. They are designed to perform very predictable activities.

As Hagel notes, Brynjolfsson and McAfee indeed touched on this point in their book. We need to reframe race against the machine as race with the machine. In other words, we need to look at the ways in which machines can augment human labor rather than replace it. So then the problem is not really about technology, but rather, “how do we innovate our institutions and our work practices?”

31. According to the first paragraph, economic downturns would ________.

[A] ease the competition of man vs. Machine             [B] highlight machines' threat to human jobs

[C] provoke a painful technological revolution           [D] outmode our current economic structure

32. The authors of Race Against the Machine argue that ________.

[A] technology is diminishing man's job opportunities [B] automation is accelerating technological development

[C] certain jobs will remain intact after automation    [D] man will finally win the race against machine

33. Hagel argues that jobs in the U. S. are often ________.

[A] performed by innovative minds                      [B] scripted with an individual style

[C] standardized without a clear target                [D] designed against human creativity

34. According to the last paragraph, Brynjolfsson and McAfee discussed ________.

[A] the predictability of machine behavior in practice

[B] the formula for how work is conducted efficiently

[C] the ways machines replace human labor in modern times 

[D] the necessity of human involvement in the workplace

35. Which of the following could be the most appropriate title for the text?

[A] How to Innovate Our Work Practices?            [B] Machines will Replace Human Labor

[C] Can We Win the Race Against Machines?          [D] Economic Downturns Stimulate Innovations

Text 4
When the government talks about infrastructure contributing to the economy the focus is usually on roads, railways, broadband and energy. Housing is seldom mentioned.

Why is that? To some extent the housing sector must shoulder the blame. We have not been good at communicating the real value that housing can contribute to economic growth. Then there is the scale of the typical housing project. It is hard to shove for attention among multibillion­pound infrastructure project, so it is inevitable that the attention is focused elsewhere. But perhaps the most significant reason is that the issue has always been so politically charged.

Nevertheless, the affordable housing situation is desperate. Waiting lists increase all the time and we are simply not building enough new homes.

The comprehensive spending review offers an opportunity for the government to help rectify this. It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need.

There are some indications that it is preparing to do just that. The communities minister, Don Foster, has hinted that George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, may introduce more flexibility to the current cap on the amount that local authorities can borrow against their housing stock debt. Evidence shows that 60, 000 extra new homes could be built over the next five years if the cap were lifted, increasing GDP by 0.6%.

Ministers should also look at creating greater certainty in the rental environment, which would have a significant impact on the ability of registered providers to fund new developments from revenues.

But it is not just down to the government. While these measures would be welcome in the short term, we must face up to the fact that the existing ￡4.5bn programme of grants to fund new affordable housing, set to expire in 2015，is unlikely to be extended beyond then. The Labour party has recently announced that it will retain a large part of the coalition's spending plans if returns to power. The housing sector needs to accept that we are very unlikely to ever return to era of large-­scale public grants. We need to adjust to this changing climate.

36. The author believes that the housing sector ________.

[A] has attracted much attention                     [B] involves certain political factors

[C] shoulders too much responsibility                [D] has lost its real value in economy

37. It can be learned that affordable housing has ________.

[A] increased its home supply                      [B] offered spending opportunities

[C] suffered government biases                    [D] disappointed the government

38. According to Paragraph 5, George Osborne may ________.

[A] allow greater government debt for housing      

[B] stop local authorities from building homes

[C] prepare to reduce housing stock debt           

[D] release a lifted GDP growth forecast

39. It can be inferred that a stable rental environment would ________.

[A] lower the costs of registered providers            

[B] lessen the impact of government interference

[C] contribute to funding new developments        

[D] relieve the ministers of responsibilities

40. The author believes that after 2015, the government may ________.

[A] implement more policies to support housing    

[B] review the need for large-­scale public grants

[C] renew the affordable housing grants programme

[D] stop generous funding to the housing sector

Section II Reading Comprehension

Part A

Text 1

21、【答案】B A special tour

【解析】细节题。答案定位在第二段的“it is far better to spend money on experiences„like interesting trips„”，意思是“花钱消费在经历方面更好„„，比如说有趣的旅行„„”，由此可以得知答案是 B 选项“一场特别的旅行”。

22、【答案】A critical

【解析】观点态度题。答案定位在第三段的“something the average American spends a whopping twomonths a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it”，意思是“普通美国人一年花两个月的时间看电视，并且看电视几乎不可能更愉快”，因此可以得知作者对于看电视的态度是 A 选项“批判的”。

23、【答案】D rarity generally increases pleasure

【解析】观点例证题。答案定位在第三段，文章中提到 Mc Rib 这个例子，用这个例子证明的论点是“luxuries are most enjoyable when they are consumed sparingly”，大意是“有节制地消费奢侈品最令人愉悦”，D 选项正是这句论点句的同义替换。

24、【答案】B may prove to be a worthwhile purchase

【解析】细节题。答案定位在最后一段的最后一句“most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent”，大意是“大多数人看完这本书后，认为物有所值”，因此可以推知 B 选项是正确答案。

25、【答案】A balance feeling good and spending money

【解析】主旨题。纵观全文可知，全文主要谈论花钱消费和心情愉悦之间的关系，因此答案定位在 A选项。

Text 2

26、【答案】A our self-ratings are unrealistically high

【解析】题目问“根据第一段，社会心理学家发现了什么?”对应于文章第一段第三句“社会心理学家对所谓的‘高于均数效应’或者‘虚幻的优越感’进行大量的研究，发现我们中 70%的人认为自己的领导力在平均水平之上„„—这些数据明显都是不可能的。”由此可知，我们对自己评价过高。故答案为[A] our self-ratings are unrealistically high。

27、【答案】C intuitive response

【解析】题目问“视觉识别被认为是人们的什么?”对应于文章第三段第三句“视觉识别是自动的心理过程，这个过程依靠直觉快速发生，且并不是故意的。”由此可知，视觉识别被认为是人们的直觉反应。故答案为[C] intuitive response。

28、【答案】B believe in their attractiveness

【解析】题目问“Epley发现有更高自尊的人倾向于怎样”。对应到第四段，第二句讲到“没有证据显示那些自我提升最多的人这样做是为了掩饰自己的不安全，接着讲到：事实上，那些认为自己的形象高于吸引力标准的人就是那些表现出更高自尊的人，故答案为[B] believe in their attractiveness。

29、【答案】[A] instinctively

【解析】题目问“最接近 viscerally 的意思的是?”。对应到第五段，viscerally 所在句讲到“许多人讨厌照片中的自己，从某种层面上说，他们甚至不承认照片中的人是他们自己。”而下文又讲到 facebook是自我拔高者的天堂，在那里人们可以分享最满意的的照片。”由此可知，viscerally 在本句中是“本质上地”意思，故答案为[A] instinctively。

30、【答案】[D]withhold their unflattering sides

【解析】题干问“我们可以推理出脸书(facebook)之所以是一个自我拔高者的天堂，是因为人们可以做什么?”对应于文章最后一段的第二句，该句讲到“在脸书(facebook)中，人们可以分享最满意的照片。”下文接着讲到“不是人们不诚实，而是人们展示了自己最理想的形象。”故答案为[D]withhold their unflattering sides。

Text 4

36、【答案】[B] involves certain political factors

【解析】根据本题题干中的关键词 housing sector 可以对应到文章的第二段，中间说的很多，我们注意到最后有 but 出现，最后应该是作者真正想要表达的观点，另外这里用了 the most significant 最高级，所以最后这个是最重要的一个原因，politically charged 和选项 B 的 political factors 有对应关系，故选 B involves certain political factors。A 项的吸引注意没有提及，C 项的承担太多责任，原文说的 shoulder the blame，D 项说的丧失价值，原文说的是不善于表明真正价值，两者不一致，故排除。

37、【答案】[C] suffered government biases

【解析】经济适用房曾受到政府的偏见。答案定位到文章第三段最后一句话 It needs to put historical prejudices to one side and take some steps to address our urgent housing need. 政府需要把历史的偏见放在一边并且采取一些策略解决我们迫切的住房需求。Suffered 是过去式，是对于原文 history 的同义反复，biases 是对原文prejudices 的同义反复。

38、【答案】[A] allow greater government debt for housing

【解析】根据人名 George Osborne 定位得知，此人将会让当地政府用来偿还建房借贷的限额变得更加宽松，并在借贷限额放宽的情况下，将会另有 60,000 所房屋在未来的五年中建立，并由此拉动国内生产总值的百分之零点六。因此 A(允许更大的政府的建房借贷)是正确的，而 B(禁止当地政府建房)，C(准备减少建房借贷)，D(发布国内生产总值增长的预报)都与原文意思不符。

39、【答案】[C] contribute to funding new developments

【解析】推断题。根据文章题干定位到第五段，题干考察的是对稳定的租赁环境的理解。A 项的意思是“减少注册供应者的成本”，其中“成本一词”并未在文中出现，属于无中生有。B项的意思是“减少政府接介入的影响”，其中“政府介入”并未在文中出现，属于无中生有。B 项的意思是“有助于为新发展提供资金支持”，其中“为新发展提供资金持”对应文中的“fund new developments”;C选项中的“contribute to”(意思是有助于)对英文中的have a significant impact(意思是有重要影响)，符合正解的同义复现原则，所以是正确选项。

40、【答案】[D] stop generous funding to the housing sector

【解析】推断题。根据题干定位到最后一段第三行。考察的是 2015 年以后政府的可能性动作。A 项的意思是“推行更多的政策来支持住房”与原文意义相反。B 项的意思是重新审视大规模公共拨款的需求，与原文倒数第二段意义相违背。C 项的意思是更新可负担的住房拨款项目并没有提到 renew 一词。D 项的意思是停止对住房部门的大额资助，与原文的倒数第二句相匹配，故为正确选项。

Part B

Directions:

Read the following text and answer the questions by choosing the most suitable subheading from the list A-G for each numbered paragraphs (41-45). There are two extra subheadings which you do not need to use. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)

[A] You are not alone

[B] Don’t fear responsibility for your life

[C] Pave your own unique path

[D] Most of your fears are unreal

[E] Think about the present moment

[F] Experience helps you grow

[G] There are many things to be grateful for

Some Old Truths to Help You Overcome Tough Times

Unfortunately, life is not a bed of roses. We are going through life facing sad experiences. Moreover, we are grieving various kinds of loss: a friendship, a romantic relationship or a house. Hard times may hold you down at what usually seems like the most inopportune time, but you should remember that they won’t last forever.

When our time of mourning is over, we press forward, stronger with a greater understanding and respect for life. Furthermore, these losses make us mature and eventually move us toward future opportunities for growth and happiness. I want to share these old truths I’ve learned along the way.

41._____________________________

Fear is both useful and harmful. This normal human reaction is used to protect us by signaling danger and preparing us to deal with it. Unfortunately, people create inner barriers with a help of exaggerating fears. My favorite actor Will Smith once said, “Fear is not real. It is a product of thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.” I do completely agree that fears are just the product of our luxuriant imagination.

42._____________________________

If you are surrounded by problems and cannot stop thinking about the past, try to focus on the present moment. Many of us are weighed down by the past or anxious about the future. You may feel guilt over your past, but you are poisoning the present with the things and circumstances you cannot change. Value the present moment and remember how fortunate you are to be alive. Enjoy the beauty of the world around and keep the eyes open to see the possibilities before you. Happiness is not a point of future and not a moment from the past, but a mindset that can be designed into the present.

43.______________________________

Sometimes it is easy to feel bad because you are going through tough times. You can be easily caught up by life problems that you forget to pause and appreciate the things you have. Only strong people prefer to smile and value their life instead of crying and complaining about something.

44.________________________________

No matter how isolated you might feel and how serious the situation is, you should always remember that you are not alone. Try to keep in mind that almost everyone respects and wants to help you if you are trying to make a good change in your life, especially your dearest and nearest people. You may have a circle of friends who provide constant good humor, help and companionship. If you have no friends or relatives, try to participate in several online communities, full of people who are always willing to share advice and encouragement.

45.________________________________

Today many people find it difficult to trust their own opinion and seek balance by gaining objectivity from external sources. This way you devalue your opinion and show that you are incapable of managing your own life. When you are struggling to achieve something important you should believe in yourself and be sure that your decision is the best. You live in your skin, think your own thoughts, have your own values and make your own choices.

Part B

41、【答案】[D] Most of your fears are unreal

【解析】本段中出现了多次词义复现，如Fear is not real以及fears are just the product of our luxuriant imagination(恐惧只是丰富想象的产物)。Unfortunately转折后作者通过引用Will Smith的话以及自己的总结强调揭示了段落主题。

42、【答案】[E] Think about the presentmoment

【解析】该题所在段落平铺直叙，因此第一句话为段落中心句，其中关键信息是focus on the present moment，与选项E主题词复现。下文中又多次复现了主题词，如value the present moment，moment以及present。

43、【答案】[G] There are many things to be grateful for

【解析】该题的解题线索是主题词复现。段落中的appreciate，smile，value与grateful属于近义复现，cry和complain与grateful是反义复现。

44、【答案】[A] You are not alone

【解析】段落首句出现了表达强烈语气的情态动词should，因此主题句为首句，关键信息为you are not alone，与A选项匹配。

45、【答案】[C] Pave your own unique path

【解析】该段落主题句为“When you…you should believe in yourself and be sure that your decision is the best.”作者正面提出了自己的观点“相信自己以及自己的决定是最佳的”。下文进一步阐释，其中own thoughts, own values 以及own choices构成了标题中的own unique path。

47.section III Translation

Directions:

Translate the following text from English into Chinese. Write your translation on ANSWER SHEET. (15 points)

Most people would define optimism as endlessly happy, with a glass that’s perpetually half full. But that’s exactly the kind of false cheerfulness that positive psychologists wouldn’t recommend. “Healthy optimism means being in touch with reality,” says Tal Ben-Shahar, a Harvard professor. According to Ben-Shahar, realistic optimists are those who make the best of things that happen, but not those who believe everything happens for the best.

Ben-Shahar uses three optimistic exercisers. When he feels down —say, after giving a bad lecture —he grants himself permission to be human. He reminds himself that not every lecture can be a Nobel winner; some will be less effective than others. Next is reconstruction. He analyzes the weak lecture, leaning lessons for the future about what works and what doesn’t. Finally, there is perspective, which involves acknowledging that in the grand scheme of life, one lecture really doesn’t matter.

Section Ⅲ Ⅲ Translation

重点详解

According to BenShalar, realistic optimists are these who make the best of things that happen, but not those who believe everything happens for the best.

【考点】并列句；定语从句

【解析】①句子主干为 realistic optimists are these, but not these。

②由 but 引起的两个并列句中实现定语从句的 these who(黑体部分)和 those who(黑体部分)的对应，第一个分句
中嵌套 that 引导的定语从句，第二个分句中的斜体部分为宾语从句，作 believe 的宾语，省略了关系代词 that
被。

【词汇】optimist n. 乐观主义者

【译文】在本沙哈尔看来，现实的乐观主义者会因势利导，而非求全责备。He analyzes the weak lecture, leaning lessons for the future about what works and what doesn't.

【考点】介词后的宾语从句

【解析】①句子主干为 He analyzes the weak lecture。②非谓语动词短语 leaning lessons for the future 作主句的目的状语，lessons 这里理解为“经验，教训”。about的宾语是两个并列的从句 what works and what doesn't，其中 what doesn't 为省略结构，补充完整为 what doesn't work。

【词汇】analyze v．分析

【译文】他分析了一些效果不好的演讲并且从那些起效和无效的演讲中吸取教训为将来做准备。

全文译文
大多数人认为乐观是无尽的欢乐，如同总是有半杯水的杯子。但那是一种绝不会为积极心理学家所称道的虚假的快乐。哈佛大学的泰·本沙哈尔教授说，“健康的乐观主义意味着要活在现实之中。”在本沙哈尔看来，现实的乐观主义者会因势利导，而非求全责备。

本沙哈尔会使用三种乐观的方法。比如说，当他因搞砸了一场演讲而倍感郁闷的时候，他会告诉自己这是很正常的事，提醒自己：并不是每一次演讲都可以获得诺贝尔奖，总会有一些人的演讲效果不及其他人。接着为改进。他分析了一些效果不好的演讲并且从那些起效和无效的演讲中吸取教训为将来做准备。最后是看待问题的角度，即在生活的宏伟计划中，一次演讲真的无足轻重。

‍Section IV Writing

Part A
47. Directions:
Suppose you are going to study abroad and share an apartment with John, a local student. Write him to email to
1) tell him about your living habits, and
2) ask for advice about living there.
You should write about 100 words on the ANSWER SHEET.
Do not use your own name. Use “Li Ming” instead.
Do not write your address. (10 points)

【范文一】

Dear John,

I am Li Ming who will go to study in your university and live together with you in one department. Now I am writing this letter to tell you some of my habits and ask you for some suggestions to adapt myself there.

To begin with, I usually get up early in the morning at six o’clock and then go out to do some exercise. To continue, I would like to spend my spare time in reading in the library. Meanwhile, I wonder if you could be so kind to offer me some proposals on how to get used to the life there.

I am looking forward to seeing you soon and wish everything goes well.

Yours sincerely,

【范文二】

Dear John,

I'm glad to hear from you. How have you been these days? The purpose of this email is to tell you about my living habits.

Firstly, I never drink or smoke. Neither do I stay up late. Instead, I keep a balanced diet and go to bed before 11 o'clock at night, because I believe burning the midnight oil is harmful to health. Secondly, I'd like to keep my things clean. It is obvious that living in a messy environment results in a chaotic life.

Finally, could you please offer me some proposals as regards living in your city? I'm sure that we can get along well with each other, and our university life would be one of the best times in life. (123 words)

Part B
48. Directions:
Write an essay based on the following chart. In your writing, You should
1) interpret the chart, and
2) give your comments.
You should write about 150 words on the ANSWER SHEET. (15points)

范文一

What is clearly presented in the above chart is the different numbers of urban residents and rural population among 1990,2000 and 2010.The number of urban residents climbed steadily from 300 million in 1990 to 660 million or so in 2010，while rural population decreased slightly from about 820 million to 680 million or so in the same period.

It is not difficult to come up with some possible factors accounting for this trend. On the one hand, with the rapid development of economy and society, people in mounting numbers crowd into cities in search of employment, a decent living and the excitement of urban life recently. On the other hand, the economy in the rural districts is comparative less developed and thus the opportunity to make money and pursue their future is as well lean. As a result, an increasing number of folks are trying to escape this destiny by flocking into the urban areas.

Given the analyses above, I firmly believe that such established trend will surely continue for quite a while in the forthcoming years and due importance should be attached to this evident situation.

范文二

The column chart above clearly reflects the changes in the statistics between urban and rural population in China during the past two decades. For urban dwellers, there was a noticeable jump of 360 million from 300 million to 66 million between 1990 and 2010. By contrast, a remarkable decline occurred in the number of rural population by 160 million from 820 million to 660 million during the same period.

At least three primary contributors account for such changes. First and foremost, there is a much nicer choice of options available in cities and towns, across the broad. There are more jobs to choose from, different kinds of companies and types of work. In addition, big cities offer much more excitement and stimulation, partly as a result of all the various options available in so many areas. More importantly, people prefer to live in cities and towns for the convenience of the transportation system. It would have a well developed bus, subway, highway and airport transportation network.

Generally speaking, people in expanding numbers would prefer to live in cities and towns which offer a rich variety of many options, whether it be for jobs, leisure, cultural or intellectual activities. At the same time, people like the energy and stimulation of a big city environment and the convenience of a well-developed transportation system.