Part One
In spite of “endless talk of difference,” American society is an amazing machine for homogenizing people. This is “the democratizing uniformity of dress and discourse, and the casualness and absence of consumption “launched by the 19th –century department stores that offered ‘vast arrays of goods in an elegant atmosphere. Instead of intimate shops catering to a knowledgeable elite.” these were stores “anyone could enter, regardless of class or background. This turned shopping into a public and democratic act.” The mass media, advertising and sports are other forces for homogenization.
Immigrants are quickly fitting into this common culture, which may not be altogether elevating but is hardly poisonous. Writing for the National Immigration Forum, Gregory Rodriguez reports that today’s immigration is neither at unprecedented level nor resistant to assimilation. In 1998 immigrants were 9.8 percent of population; in 1900, 13.6 percent. In the 10 years prior to 1990, 3.1 immigrants arrived for every 1,000 residents; in the 10 years prior to 1890, 9.2 for every 1,000. Now, consider three indices of assimilation------language, home ownership and intermarriage.
The 1990 Census revealed that “a majority of immigrants from each of the fifteen most common countries of origin spoke English “well” or “very well” after ten years of residence.” The children of immigrants tend to be bilingual and proficient in English. “By the third generation, the original language is lost in the majority of immigrant families.” Hence the description of America as a graveyard” for language. By 1996 foreign-born immigrants who had arrive before 1970 had a home ownership rate of 75.6 percent, higher than the 69.8 percent rate among native-born Americans.
Foreign-born Asians and Hispanics “have higher rates of intermarriage than do U.S-born whites and blacks.” By the third generation, one third of Hispanic women are married to non-Hispanics, and 41 percent of Asian-American women are married to non-Asians.
Rodriguez not that children in remote villages around world are fans of superstars like Amold Schwarzenegger and Garth Brooks, yet “some Americans fear that immigrant living within the United States remain somehow immune to the nation’s assimilative power.”
Are there divisive issues and pockets of seething in America? Indeed. It is big enough to have a bit of everything. But particularly when viewed against America’s turbulent past, today’s social induces suggest a dark and deteriorating social environment.
1. The word “homogenizing” （Line 2, Paragraph 1）most probably means___
A. identifying B. associating C. assimilatingD. monopolizing
2. According to the author, the department stores of the 19th century___
A. played a role in the spread of popular culture.
B. became intimate shops for common consumers.
C. satisfied the needs of a knowledgeable elite.
D. owed its emergence to the culture of consumption.
3. The text suggests that immigrants now in the U.S.___
A. are resistant to homogenization.
B. exert a great influence on American culture.
C. are hardly a threat to the common culture.
D.constitute the majority of the population.
4. Why are Amold Schwarzenegger and Garth Brooks mentioned in Paragraph 5?
A. To prove their popularity around the world.
B. To reveal the public’s fear of immigrants.
C. To give examples of successful immigrants.
D. To show the powerful influence of American culture.
5. In the author’s opinion, the absorption of immigrants into American society is
A. rewardingB. SuccessfulC. fruitlessD. harmful
Unit 13（2006）Part 1
重点词汇：
1.uniformityn. 一样，一致；统一性；（相关词）uniform a.相同的，统一标准的；be uniform with与……同一形式或外貌
2.casualnessn. 偶然，意外；草率行事；漫不经心；平心静气
3.array① n. 排列；一批，大量；显眼的一系列② vt. 排列，制定（计划等）：array oneself 装扮，打扮自己、搭配vast arrays of 大批的，大量的
4.knowledgeablea. 有知识的，学识渊博的，有见识的
5.amazev. 使（某人）惊异或惊奇
6.intimatea. 密切的，亲密的
7.caterv. = provide food and service 提供饮食及服务; 搭配 cater for（或to）提供饮食及服务，迎合（某人）
8.eliten.精英，尖子
9.elevatevt. 提升，抬起，振作精神；使（人）欢欣鼓舞；提高（思想、道德品质、文化素质等）。例：Good books may elevate the mind. 好书可以提高思想修养。搭配elevate to 提升为，提拔至。
10.unprecedenteda. 前所未有的，空前的，无前例的
11.assimilation n.吸收，（社会/民族的）同化；文化的吸收 （相关词）assimilate ...into 使同化；被同化；融合到……中去；assimilate ...to 使（某人）相似；使相同/一模一样；assimilate with 同化；与……融为一体；assimilative a. 同化的，引起同化作用的resistant（+to） 对…… 有抵抗力的；耐……的；抗……的；防……的
12.proficient （+in） ① a. 熟练的；精通的 ② n. 专家；能手
13.intermarriagen.异族通婚；近亲结婚 相关词 intermarry with 与……通婚graveyardn. 教堂墓地；公墓；垃圾场；政治上发展的终点
14.immune（+to）a. phr. 有免疫力的，不易感染的
15.divisive a. 引起分歧的，导致分裂的例：divisive issues引起分歧的重要问题相关词divisionn. ①=separation or distribution 分开；分配②=disagreement; lack of Unity 分歧；分裂
16.turbulent a.=violent; disorderly; uncontrolled; stormy动的，*的，汹涌的，狂暴的，无序的相关词 turbulence*波动，旋流deterioratev. 变坏，变质，恶化
17.homogenize v. 使均匀，使均质（make the same throughout）相关词 homogeneousa. =similar; alike 同性质的，同类的 homogenization（趋）同化Hispanic ① a. 西班牙和葡萄牙的；说西班牙语国家的 ② n.拉丁美洲人；西班牙裔人
18.democratize vt. 使（某事）民主化 相关词①democracy民主,民主制②democratica. 民主的,有民主精神的
19.bilinguala. 会双语的，双语的，搭配bilingual education双语教学superstar*n. 超级明星，巨星seethinga. 生气的，发怒的
试题解析：
1【正确答案】［C］assimilating
【测试要点】词汇识别题。
【试题解析】根据原文首句的上下文就能确定答案是［C］，因为原文首句开始的in spite of表示转折关系，就是说homogenizing与前面的 difference在上下文中构成反义词，在四个选项中能与difference构成反义词的只有assimilate。当然从后文也能看出文章中的考点词assimilate是homogenizing的同义词。有的同学根据词根homo表示“相同”的意思选［C］也是对的。另外，37题的bummer根据上文的对于“不幸”的描写，也能选到［B］“令人不快的”。
2【正确答案】［A］played a role in the spread of popular culture.
【测试要点】细节判断题。
【试题解析】 这是一道细节题，根据其中的关键词dePartment stores of the 19th century定位一段，再根据原文排除可以推出［A］是对的。注意［D］颠倒了因果关系。
3【正确答案】［C］are hardly a threat to the common culture.
【测试要点】语意推断题。
【试题解析】这是一道简单的推理题。问题问文中暗示现在美国的移民如何？2段首句的特殊结构not...but就告诉了我们现在美国移民的特点：能融入共同文化（common culture），表达这一意思的选项只有［C］。
4【正确答案】［D］To show the powerful influence of American culture.
【测试要点】这是一道语意推断题。
【试题解析】本题难度较大，所以在这里作一个比较详细的解释。［A］很容易排除，就不讲了。对于［B］选项只要抓住the public 就可以知道绝对不能选。注意原文some Americans fear that immigrants..., “some Americans”（一些美国人）能代表the public（公众）吗? 显然不行，除非是Most Americans在阅读的替换中可以认为是the public, 命题者在这里是偷换概念，也就是错误替换！［C］作者在文章中提到的成功的人物一定是移民吗？尽管从广义上来说所有的美国人都是移民。有的考生说施瓦辛格是移民，但考研阅读不要求考生知道背景，对所有专业的考生是公平的，即使你没听说过他。另外，如果题目举这两个人的例子就是为了说明移民本身的成功，那就偏离了文章的主题，大家应该都知道例子是为主题或者主题句服务的。本篇文章讨论的主题就是美国在吸收移民方面的成功，美国文化的同化能力很强，