2014考研英语阅读理解试题及名师解析(5)_跨考网

　　Ifambition is to be well regarded, the rewards of ambition—wealth,distinction, control over one's destiny—must be deemedworthy of the sacrifices made on ambition's behalf. If the tradition ofambition is to have vitality, it must be widely shared; and it especially mustbe highly regarded by people who are themselves admired, the educated not leastamong them. In an odd way, however, it is the educated who have claimed to havegiven up on ambition as an ideal. What is odd is that they have perhaps mostbenefited from ambition—if not always their own then that of their parents and grandparents.There is a heavy note of hypocrisy in this, a case of closing the barn doorafter the horses have escaped―with the educated themselves riding on them。

　　Certainly people do not seem less interested in success and itssigns now than formerly. Summer homes, European travel, BMWs—thelocations, place names and name brands may change, but such items do not seemless in demand today than a decade or two years ago. What has happened is thatpeople cannot confess fully to their dreams, as easily and openly as once theycould, lest they be thought pushing, acquisitive and vulgar. Instead, we aretreated to fine hypocritical spectacles, which now more than ever seem in amplesupply: the critic of American materialism with a Southampton summer home; thepublisher of radical books who takes his meals in three-star restaurants; the journalistadvocating participatory democracy in all phases of life, whose own childrenare enrolled in private schools. For such people and many more perhaps not soexceptional, the proper formulation is," Succeed at all costs but avoidappearing ambitious."

　　The attacks on ambition are many and come from various angles; itspublic defenders are few and unimpressive, where they are not extremelyunattractive. As a result, the support for ambition as a healthy impulse, aquality to be admired and fixed in the mind of the young, is probably lowerthan it has ever been in the United States. This does not mean that ambition isat an end, that people no longer feel its stirrings and promptings, but onlythat, no longer openly honored, it is less openly professed. Consequencesfollow from this, of course, some of which are that ambition is drivenunderground, or made sly. Such, then, is the way things stand: on the leftangry critics, on the right stupid supporters, and in the middle, as usual, themajority of earnest people trying to get on in life。

　　27. It is generally believed that ambition may be well regarded if_____。

　　[A]its returns well compensate for the sacrifices

　　[B]it is rewarded with money, fame and power

　　[C]its goals are spiritual rather than material

　　[D]it is shared by the rich and the famous

　　28. The last sentence of the first paragraph most probably impliesthat it is____ 。

　　[A]customary of the educated to discard ambition in words

　　[B]too late to check ambition once it has been let out

　　[C]dishonest to deny ambition after the fulfillment of the goal

　　[D]impractical for the educated to enjoy benefits from ambition

　　29. Some people do not openly admit they have ambition because____ 。

　　[A]they think of it as immoral

　　[B]their pursuits are not fame or wealth

　　[C]ambition is not closely related to material benefits

　　[D]they do not want to appear greedy and contemptible

　　30. From the last paragraph the conclusion can be drawn thatambition should be maintained_____。

　　[A]secretly and vigorously

　　[B]openly and enthusiastically

　　[C]easily and momentarily

　　[D]verbally and spiritually