考研英语阅读命题思路透析和真题揭秘(37)
In the early 1960s Wilt Chamberlain was one of only three players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) listed at over seven feet. If he had played last season, however, he would have been one of 42. The bodies playing major professional sports have changed dramatically over the years, and managers have been more than willing to adjust team uniforms to fit the growing numbers of bigger, longer frames.
The trend in sports, though, may be obscuring an unrecognized reality: Americans have generally stopped growing. Though typically about two inches taller now than 140 years ago, today's people- especially those born to families who have lived in the U.S. for many generations- apparently reached their limit in the early 1960s. And they aren't likely to get any taller. "In the general population today, at this genetic, environmental level, we've pretty much gone as far as we can go," says anthropologist William Cameron Chumlea of Wright State University. In the case of NBA players, their increase in height appears to result from the increasingly common practice of recruiting players from all over the world.
Growth, which rarely continues beyond the age of 20, demands calories and nutrients - notably, protein - to feed expanding tissues. At the start of the 20th century, under-nutrition and childhood infections got in the way. But as diet and health improved, children and adolescents have, on average, increased in height by about an inch and a half every 20 years, a pattern known as the secular trend in height. Yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, average height- 5′9〞 for men, 5′4〞for women- hasn't really changed since 1960.
Genetically speaking, there are advantages to avoiding substantial height. During childbirth, larger babies have more difficulty passing through the birth canal. Moreover, even though humans have been upright for millions of years, our feet and back continue to struggle with bipedal posture and cannot easily withstand repeated strain imposed by oversize limbs. "There are some real constraints that are set by the genetic architecture of the individual organism," says anthropologist William Leonard of Northwestern University.
Genetic maximums can change, but don't expect this to happen soon. Claire C. Gordon, senior anthropologist at the Army Research Center in Natick, Mass., ensures that 90 percent of the uniforms and workstations fit recruits without alteration. She says that, unlike those for basketball, the length of military uniforms has not changed for some time. And if you need to predict human height in the near future to design a piece of equipment, Gordon says that by and large, "you could use today's data and feel fairly confident."
31. Wilt Chamberlain is cited as an example to
[A] illustrate the change of height of NBA players.
[B] show the popularity of NBA players in the U.S..
[C] compare different generations of NBA players.
[D] assess the achievements of famous NBA players.
[答案] A
[解题思路]
文章第一段主要谈论了美国NBA运动员的身高在变高的趋势，该段最后一句话指出"The bodies playing major professional sports have changed dramatically over the years, and managers have been more than willing to adjust team uniforms to fit the growing numbers of bigger, longer frames"（近几年那些身体状况起到主要作用的职业运动都经历了巨大的变化，这些运动的经理人们都非常乐意重新裁制队服以适应球员们更高、更大的身材），显然正确答案为A。B和D选项与该段内容无关，而C选项的表述目的正是为了说明A，因此C选项也可以排除。
[题目译文]
Wilt Chamberlain的例子用来
[A] 说明NBA球员的身高变化
[B] 说明NBA球员在美国很受欢迎
[C] 比较不同年代的NBA球员
[D] 评估著名NBA球员的成就
32. Which of the following plays a key role in body growth according to the text?
[A] Genetic modification.
[B] Natural environment.
[C] Living standards.
[D] Daily exercise.
[答案] C
[解题思路]
本题对应于文章第三段，该段第二、三句话指出"At the start of the 20th century, under-nutrition and childhood infections got in the way. But as diet and health improved, children and adolescents have, on average, increased in height by about an inch and a half every 20 years, a pattern known as the secular trend in height"（在20世纪初的时候，营养不良和儿童疾病影响了人们身体的长高。但是随着饮食和健康状况的改进，儿童和青少年比20年前平均长高了约一个半英寸，这就是众所周知的身高世俗趋势），可见最重要的因素还是生活水平，因此正确答案为C。B和D选项在原文中没有提及，A选项与文章最后一段的第一句话"Genetic maximums can change, but don't expect this to happen soon"（基因的最大值可以改变，但是不要期望它们会很快地改变）意思相反，也可以排除。
[题目译文]
根据文章，下面哪一项是身体长高的关键因素？
[A] 基因改变
[B] 自然环境
[C] 生活水平
[D] 日常锻炼
33. On which of the following statements would the author most probably agree?
[A] Non-Americans add to the average height of the nation.
[B] Human height is conditioned by the upright posture.
[C] Americans are the tallest on average in the world.
[D] Larger babies tend to become taller in adulthood.
[答案] B
[解题思路]
本题可以采取排除法。A选项的内容在原文中没有涉及，文章第二段只是谈到移民家庭的身高达到了极限，因此A选项可以首先排除。C选项也是明显错误的，因为文章只是关注美国人的身高问题，没有将其与全世界作比较。D选项关于"large babies"在文章第四段中有所涉及，但是文章只是谈到个子大的孩子通过产道顺利出生的困难更大，至于成人以后的情况文章并没有提到。而B选项对应于文章第四段的第三句话"Moreover, even though humans have been upright for millions of years, our feet and back continue to struggle with bipedal posture and cannot easily withstand repeated strain imposed by oversize limbs"（此外，尽管人类直立行走已达百万年之久，我们的脚和背总是很费劲地保持两足姿势、而且很难抵挡过大的身材带来的巨大压力）。因此B为正确选项。
[题目译文]
作者会同意下面哪一项说法的观点？
[A] 非美国人的加入使得该国人口的平均身高变高
[B] 人类身高受到直立姿势的影响
[C] 美国人的平均身高在世界上是最高的
[D] 个子大的婴儿往往成人后也比其他人更高
