2014考研英语基础阶段：经典习题练习(二)
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 1. (40 points)
Text 1
When Howell Raines was made executive editor of the New York Times in 2001, he brought with him a reputation as a fearless and independent newsman. Within days, al-Qaeda (基地组织) struck the World Trade Centre, and the coverage he oversaw turned him into an editorial legend, his army of reporters winning an unprecedented number of Pulitzer prizes.
Yet, not a year and a half later, the discovery of fabrication by a young reporter triggered a managerial crisis that destroyed Mr Raines's career and exposed the newspaper to ridicule for being unable to detect a pathological(病态的) liar in its own newsroom. Not long afterwards, another reporter, who was also a favourite of Mr Raines's, departed as questions were being raised as to whether he had actually reported the stories appearing under his name. A year on, many inside the world's best known paper of record and integrity still worry if its reputation can be restored.
Mr Raines got the editorship after pledging to raise the paper's "competitive metabolism" (新陈代谢). The newspaper's publisher, Arthur Sulzberger, had had ample opportunities to see his flaws. As bureau chief in Washington, DC, Mr Raines had treated a small group of reporters like pets, earning the dislike of the rest. Similar opinions had been voiced when he ran the newspaper's editorial page. But in each place, Mr Raines had made the New York Times noticed. And for Mr Sulzberger, that seemed to be an answer to a problem.
Circulation had been stagnant for years, despite attempts to establish the New York Times as America's national paper. According to Seth Mnookin, a noted columnist, Mr Sulzberger and Mr Raines both felt that the newspaper was badly in need of a change. In Mr Raines's hands, this meant putting enormous pressure on getting the impossible story. The paper had also been making an effort to diversify the racial mix of its employees, a goal that Mr Raines endorsed. Both objectives converged in the career of Jayson Blair, whose talent as a writer was matched by his dishonesty as a reporter. His career was advanced by Mr Raines despite the trail of errors and suspect scoops (独家新闻) that he left.
After the Blair disaster, a painful self-examination began at the New York Times which continues today. Among other things, a kind of devil's advocate was hired to criticise the paper's workings, and to go public about its contradictions. Daniel Okrent's column is one of the newspaper's more provocative, addressing its left-of-centre world view and its use of outside sources to provide false objectivity for its own conclusions. Perhaps the result of all this will be the change that Mr Sulzberger was seeking.
21. Jason Blair was hired by the New York Times, because he .
[A] he proved to be a good reporter in getting some hot stories
[B] he was a long time favorite reporter of Mr Raines'
[C] he promised to boost the circulation of the newspaper
[D] he was talented and racially correct at the right time
22. Mr Raines' career was destroyed because he .
[A] failed to notify his publisher of the change of the editorial policy
[B] was held responsible for allowing unfounded stories to be published
[C] supported a young reporter in making up unfounded stories
[D] took no action when the reputation of the newspaper was questioned
23. Mr Raines was made executive editor of the newspaper because .
[A] he promised to enhance the competiveness of the newspaper
[B] he had run the bureau in DC and the editorial section of the newspaper
[C] Mr Sulzerberger believed that he could reshape the newspaper
[D] he knew how to spur his reporters and get hot stories done
24. The author thinks Daniel Okrent .
[A] never hesitates to expose the contradictions of the newspaper
[B] always supports his conclusions with his own investigations
[C] is critical of the management of the newspaper
[D] fails to offer a balanced view on the subject he addresses
25. The expression "the impossible story" (Line 4, Para. 4) most probably means .
[A] a news report of unusual proportions[B] an unfounded news report
[C] a report completed with difficulty [D] a news story aiming at making a stir
Section Ⅱ Reading Comprehension
