2018考研英语：阅读真题难点精析（2004年Text4）

　　36. What do American parents expect their children to acquire in school?

　　[A] The habit of thinking independently.

　　[B] Profound knowledge of the world.

　　[C] Practical abilities for future career.

　　[D] The confidence in intellectual pursuits.

　　定位句：Even our schools are where we send our children to get a practical education —not to pursue knowledge for the sake of knowledge.甚至我们的学校也是送孩子去获得实际教育的地方，而不是为了知识去追求知识。所以题干问：美国的家长期待孩子在学校获得什么?答案应该是[C] Practical abilities for future career.未来职业发展的实际能力。

　　37. We can learn from the text that Americans have a history of ________.

　　[A] undervaluing intellect

　　[B] favoring intellectualism

　　[C] supporting school reform

　　[D] suppressing native intelligence

　　定位句：From the beginning of our history, says Hofstadter, our democratic and populist urges have driven us to reject anything that smells of elitism.有史以来，我们倡导的民主和平民主义驱使我们反对任何带有精英主义意为的东西。这句话谈到了历史上的美国就是反对精英文化的，所以答案应该选择[A]undervaluing intellect贬低知识。

　　38. The views of Ravitch and Emerson on schooling are ________.

　　[A] identical [B] similar [C] complementary [D] opposite

　　定位句：“Intellect is resented as a form of power or privilege,” writes historian and professor Richard Hofstadter. Ralph Waldo Emerson thought schooling and rigorous book learning put unnatural restraints on children. 有定位句可以看出，Ravitch认为：才智在美国是被看做一种特权而被憎恨的。Emerson认为：学校教育和书本学习束缚了孩子们的天性。所以两者对待知识和教育的想法是相反的，答案选择[D]opposite。由此也可以得出39题的答案，艾默生是反对学校教育和知识学习的。所以选择[B]an opponent of intellectualism他是才智主义的反对者。

　　40. What does the author think of intellect?

　　[A] It is second to intelligence.

　　[B] It evolves from common sense.

　　[C] It is to be pursued.

　　[D] It underlies power.

　　最后考查作者对才智主义的态度，从文章主题来看，美国人反对才智主义这种做法是错误的，作者对此是持批判态度的，所以作者认为[C] It is to be pursued.才智是应该被追求的。