2014年MBA英语阅读理解习题及参考答案(45篇)

　　Representatives of Callahan Media Associates (CM　 [A] announced today that the news agency would attempt to buy the National Broadcasting System (NBS), the second largest television and radio network in the United States. Ronald Callahan, son of Jessica Callahan, who started CMA, told reporters that he expects his company's offering price to be high enough to win out over other offers. He indicated that NBS executives had already discussed reorganization plans that might result from a CMA takeover.

　　A native of the United Kingdom, Jessica Callahan began to buy newspapers, magazines, and radio stations in the United States eight years ago, and CMA now owns or controls more than fifteen news organizations here. Before she became a leader in media in this country, she had established her family-owned company as one of the most important forces in British TV and newspapers. Callahan started her news career more than twenty-five years ago, and she had worked as a reporter on three different papers when she took the job of editor of England's Birmingham Herald(伯明汉先驱报), a newspaper that had been experiencing financial difficulties for several years. Her success in raising the news reporting standards as well as making the Herald into a profitable business gained Callahan the attention and respect of the British news establishment. By the time she was 35, she had become a publisher and started CMA, which is now one of the largest media organizations in the world.

　　Callahan had never visited the United States before she came to Miami and became the publisher of the Miami Journal almost eight years ago, but she had been reading the newspaper for several years, and she said that she liked the paper's style. After she had owned the Journal for just over a year, she bought a small radio station in Georgia, and in the next five years she went on to acquire news organizations in several different parts of the country.

　　If CMA becomes the owner of NBS, for the first time it will have control over a nationwide TV network. In an interview last week, Philip Rosen, the president of NBS, said that he was not very happy about the purchase. He agreed that Callahan and CMA had done a lot to help American newspapers become more financially secure, but he expressed fears that the new management was going to make news coverage on NBS irresponsible. He stated that he hoped he could remain with NBS but said that this might not be possible.

　　1.The writer thins that CMA's offer to buy the National Broadcasting System is probably _____.

　　[A] the only one

　　[B] a good one

　　[C] unacceptably low

　　[D] of great competition

　　2. Jessica Callahan captured the confidence of the press after she became the editor of Birmingham Herald because _____.

　　[A] she was experienced

　　[B] she had strong financial background

　　[C] since then it started to make money

　　[D] she enjoyed good popularity

　　3. Jessica Callahan has never _____.

　　[A] visited the United States

　　[B] owned a national TV network

　　[C] worked as an editor

　　[D] read the Miami Journal

　　4. The attitude of NBS top executive to the CMA takeover was that _____.

　　[A] he was opposed to the purchase

　　[B] he hoped the takeover would bot affect the system's fame

　　[C] he was afraid NBS would suffer serious financial loss

　　[D] he could not leave his present position

　　5. Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?

　　[A] Jessica Callahan---a Successful Woman

　　[B] CMA---from British to USA

　　[C] CMA Buying NBS?

　　[D] CMA's Attractive Offer to NBS

　　参考答案：D C C B B

　　In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, mergingintosuper systems, causing heightened concerns about monopoly. As recently as 1995, the top four railroads accounted for under 70 percent of the total ton-miles moved by rails. Next year, after a series of mergers is completed, just four railroads will control well over 90 percent of all the freight moved by major rail carriers.

　　Supporters of the new super systems argue that these mergers will allow for substantial

　　cost reductions and better coordinated service. Any threat of monopoly, they argue, is removed by fierce competition from trucks. But many shippers complain that for heavy bulk commodities traveling long distances, such as coal, chemicals, and grain, trucking is too costly and the railroads therefore have them by the throat.

　　The vast consolidation within the rail industry means that most shippers are served by only one rail company. Railroads typically charge such "captive" shippers 20 to 30 percent more than they do when another railroad is competing for the business. Shippers who feel they are being overcharged have the right to appeal to the federal government's Surface Transportation Board for rate relief, but the process is expensive, time consuming, and will work only in truly extreme cases.

　　Railroads justify rate discrimination against captive shippers on the grounds that in the long run it reduces everyone's cost. If railroads charged all customers the same average rate, they argue, shippers who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms of transportation would do so, leaving remaining customers to shoulder the cost of keeping up the line. It's theory to which many economists subscribe, but in practice it often leaves railroads in the position of determining which companies will flourish and which will fail. "Do we really want railroads to be the arbiters of who wins and who loses in the marketplace?" asks Martin Bercovici, a Washington lawyer who frequently represents shipper.

　　Many captive shippers also worry they will soon be his with a round of huge rate increases. The railroad industry as a whole, despite its brightening fortuning fortunes, still does not earn enough to cover the cost of the capital it must invest to keep up with its surging traffic. Yet railroads continue to borrow billions to acquire one another, with Wall Street cheering them on. Consider the 2 billion bid by Norfolk Southern and CSX to acquire Conrail this year. Conrail's net railway operating income in 1996 was just million, less than half of the carrying costs of the transaction. Who's going to pay for the rest of the bill? Many captive shippers fear that they will, as Norfolk Southern and CSX increase their grip on the market.

　　1. According to those who support mergers railway monopoly is unlikely because .

　　A. cost reduction is based on competition

　　B. services call for cross-trade coordination

　　C. outside competitors will continue to exist

　　D. shippers will have the railway by the throat

　　2、What is many captive shippers' attitude towards the consolidation in the rail industry?

　　A. A.Indifferent.

　　B. Supportive.

　　C. Indignant.

　　D. Apprehensive.

　　3、It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that .

　　A. shippers will be charged less without a rival railroad

　　B. there will soon be only one railroad company nationwide

　　C. overcharged shippers are unlikely to appeal for rate relief

　　D. a government board ensures fair play in railway business

　　4. The word "arbiters" (line 6, paragraph 4)most probably refers to those .

　　A. who work as coordinators

　　B. who function as judges

　　C. who supervise transactions

　　D. who determine the price

　　5. According to the text, the cost increase in the rail industry is mainly caused by .

　　A. the continuing acquisition

　　B. the growing traffic

　　C. the cheering Wall Street

　　D. the shrinking market

　　参考答案：CDCBA

　　When school officials in Kalkaska, Michigan, closed classes last week, the media flocked to the story, portraying the town's 2,305 students as victims of stingy (吝啬的) taxpayers. There is some truth to that; the property-tax rate here is one-third lower than the state average. But shutting their schools also allowed Kalkaska's educators and the state's largest teachers' union, the Michigan Education Association, to make a political point. Their aim was to spur passage of legislation Michigan lawmakers are debating to increase the state's share of school funding.

　　It was no coincidence that Kalkaska shut its schools two weeks after residents rejected a 28 percent property-tax increase. The school board argued that without the increase it lacked the $1.5 million needed to keep schools open.

　　But the school system had not done all it could to keep the schools open. Officials declined to borrow against next year's state aid, they refused to trim extracurricular activities and they did not consider seeking a smaller—perhaps more acceptable—tax increase. In fact, closing early is costing Kalkaska a significant amount, including $ 600,000 in unemployment payments to teachers and staff and $ 250,000 in lost state aid. In February, the school system promised teachers and staff two months of retirement payments in case schools closed early, a deal that will cost the district $ 275,000 more.

　　Other signs suggest school authorities were at least as eager to make a political statement as to keep schools open. The Michigan Education Association. hired a public relations firm to stage a rally marking the school closings, which attracted 14 local and national television stations and networks. The president of the National Education Association, the MEA's parent organization, flew from Washington, D. C, for the event. And the union tutored school officials in the art of television interviews. School supervisor Doyle Disbrow acknowledges the district could have kept schools open by cutting programs but denies the moves were politically motivated.

　　Michigan lawmakers have reacted angrily to the closings. The state Senate has already voted to put the system into receivership (破产管理) and reopen schools immediately; the Michigan House plans to consider the bill this week.

　　1. We learn from the passage that schools in Kalkaska, Michigan, are funded .

　　A. mainly by the state government

　　B. exclusively by the local government

　　C. by the National Education Association

　　D. by both the local and state governments

　　2. One of the purposes for which school officials closed classes was .

　　A. to draw the attention of local taxpayers to political issues

　　B. to avoid paying retirement benefits to teachers and staff

　　C. to pressure Michigan lawmakers into increasing state funds for local schools

　　D. to make the financial difficulties of their teachers and staff known to the public

　　3. The author seems to disapprove of .

　　A. the shutting of schools in Kalkaska

　　B. the involvement of the mass media

　　C. the Michigan lawmakers' endless debating

　　D. delaying the passage of the school funding legislation

　　4. We learn from the passage that school authorities in Kalkaska are more concerned about .

　　A. making a political issue of the closing of the schools

　　B. the attitude of the MEA's parent organization

　　C. a raise in the property-tax rate in Michigan

　　D. reopening the schools there immediately

　　5. According to the passage, the closing of the schools developed into a crisis because of .

　　A. the strong protest on the part of the students' parents

　　B. the political motives on the part of the educators

　　C. the weak response of the state officials

　　D. the complexity of the problem

　　参考答案：DCAAB

　　The United States is a country made up of many different races. Usually they are mixed together and can't be told from one another. But many of them still talk about where their ancestors came from. It is something they are proud of.

　　The original Americans, of course were the Indians. The so- called white men who then came were mostly from England. But many came from other countries like Germany and France.

　　One problem the United States has always had is discrimination. As new groups came to the United States they found they were discriminated against. First it was the Irish and Italians. Later it was the blacks. Almost every group has been able to finally escape this discrimination. The only immigrants who have not are the blacks. Surprisingly enough the worst discrimination today is shown towards the Indians.

　　One reason the Indians are discriminated against is that they have tried so hard to keep their identity. Of course they are not the only ones who have done so. The Japanese have their Little Tokyo in Los Angeles and the Chinese a Chinatown in New York. The Dutch settlement in Pennsylvania also stays separate from other people. Their towns are like something from the 19th century. They have a different reason from the other groups for staying separately. They live separately for religious reasons rather than keep together in a racial group.

　　Although some groups have kept themselves separate and others have been discriminated against, all groups have helped make the United States a great county. There is no group that has not helped in some way. And there is no group that can say they have done the most to make it a great country.

　　Many people still come from other countries to help the United States grow. A good example is the American project that let a man walk on the moon. It was a scientist from Germany who was most responsible for doing that. It is certain that in the future the United States will still need the help of people from all racial groups to remain a great country.

　　1. Which of the following statements can best describe the main idea of this passage?

　　A. The United States is a country made up of many different races.

　　B. Discrimination is the most serious problem in the United States.

　　C. All races in the United States have helped make the country a great one.

　　D. The prosperity of the United States is mainly due to the hard work of the most discriminated races.

　　2. In the first paragraph the word "told" means_________.

　　A. separated

　　B. distinguished

　　C. revealed

　　D. made known

　　3. This passage implies that discrimination is a problem which .

　　A. many races in the United States have experienced

　　B. will still be very serious in the United States in the future

　　C. has already been solved in the United States

　　D. is strongly opposed by many different races in the United States

　　4. The main reason why the Indians are most discriminated against is that .

　　A. they have tried hard to keep their religions

　　B. they have tried hard to live together to keep their Indian customs

　　C. they are the only ones who have tried to keep their identity

　　D. they discriminate many other races

　　5. The Dutch live separately in Pennsylvania .

　　A. to escape discrimination

　　B. to keep together in a racial group

　　C. to enjoy themselves in their own towns

　　D. for religious reasons

　　参考答案：CBABD

　　Silicon Valley is a magnet to which numerous talented engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs from overseas flock to in search of fame, fast money and to participate in a technological revolution whose impact on mankind will surely surpass the epoch-making European Renaissance and Industrial Revolution of the bygone age.

　　With the rapid spread of the Internet and the relentless technological innovations generated through it, the information era is truly upon us, profoundly influencing and changing not only our lifestyle, but also the way we work, do business, think and communicate with others.

　　It is noteworthy that close to 50% of its skilled manpower, including engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs, come from Asia. Prominent among them are Indians and Chinese, and not a few Singaporeans.

　　Intellectual challenges aside, it is a common practice for start-ups to offer generous share options to employees in order to attract the right talent into their folds. This is a powerful incentive to motivate the staff to do their utmost and to share in the company's prosperity if it reaches its goal. Many regard this as the foundation of a successful enterprise.(184 words)

　　1. Why is Silicon Valley compared with a magnet? Because

　　A. it is very famous.

　　B. it attracted numerous talented people.

　　C. numerous talented people flock to it.

　　D. its impact will surpass European Renaissance and Industrial Revolution.

　　2. What does “it” in 2nd paragraph refer to?

　　A. the Internet

　　B. the rapid spread of the Internet

　　C. the information era

　　D. our lifestyle

　　3. What does “its” in 2nd paragraph mean??

　　A. Silicon Valley’s

　　B. the Internet’s

　　C. Asia’s

　　D. America’s

　　4. Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the common practice for start-ups?

　　A. Intellectual challenges.

　　B. Generous share options.

　　C. Sharing in the company's prosperity.

　　D. A successful enterprise.

　　5. The main idea of the passage is

　　A. Silicon Valley’s success

　　B. the information era upon us

　　C. Intellectual challenges

　　D. practice of successful enterprise

　　参考答案：BAADA

　　To paraphrase 18th-century statesman Edmund Burke, "all that is needed for the triumph of a misguided cause is that good people do nothing." One such cause now seeks to end biomedical research because of the theory that animals have rights ruling out their use in research. Scientists need to respond forcefully to animal rights advocates, whose arguments are confusing the public and thereby threatening advances in health knowledge and care. Leaders of the animal rights movement target biomedical research because it depends on public funding, and few people understand the process of health care research. Hearing allegations of cruelty to animals in research settings, many are perplexed that anyone would deliberately harm an animal.

　　For example, a grandmotherly woman staffing an animal rights booth at a recent street fair was distributing a brochure that encouraged readers not to use anything that opposed immunizations, she wanted to know if vaccines come from animal research. When assured that they do, she replied, "Then 1 would have to say yes." Asked what will happen when epidemics return, she said, "Don't worry, scientists will find some way of using computers." Such well-meaning people just don't understand.

　　Scientists must communicate their message to the public in a compassionate, understandable wayin human terms, not in the language of molecular biology. We need to make clear the connection between animal research and a grandmother's hip replacement, a father's bypass operation, a baby's vaccinations, and even a pet's shots. To those who are unaware that animal research was needed to produce these treatments, as well as new treatments and vaccines, animal research seems wasteful at best and cruel at worst.

　　Much can be done. Scientists could "adopt" middle school classes and present their own research. They should be quick to respond to letters to the editor, lest animal rights misinformation go unchallenged and acquire a deceptive appearance of truth. Research institutions could be opened to tours, to show that laboratory animals receive humane care.

　　Finally, because the ultimate stakeholders are patients, the health research community should actively recruit to its cause not only well-known personalities such as Stephen Cooper, who has made courageous statements about the value of animal research, but all who receive medical treatment. If good people do nothing there is a real possibility that an uninformed citizenry will extinguish the precious embers of medical progress.

　　1. The author begins his article with Edmund Burke's words to .

　　A. call on scientists to take some actions

　　B. criticize the misguided cause of animal rights

　　C. warn of the doom of biomedical research

　　D. show the triumph of the animal rights movement

　　2. Misled people tend to think that using an animal in research is .

　　A. cruel but natural

　　B. inhuman and unacceptable

　　C. inevitable but vicious

　　D. pointless and wasteful

　　3. The example of the grandmotherly woman is used to show the public's .

　　A. discontent with animal research

　　B. ignorance about medical science

　　C. indifference to epidemics

　　D. anxiety about animal rights

　　4. The author believes that, in face of the challenge from animal rights advocates, scientists should .

　　A. communicate more with the public

　　B. employ hi-tech means in research

　　C. feel no shame for their cause

　　D. strive to develop new cures

　　5. From the text we learn that Stephen Cooper is -

　　A. a well-known humanist

　　B. a medical practitioner

　　C. an enthusiast in animal rights

　　D. a supporter of animal research

　　参考答案：ABBAD