2012�q�考研��p��阅读理解�_�读���（一�Q�_跨考网

　　TEXT ONE

　　As Americas digest the news of another gun atrocity, a mall shooting in Nebraska on December 5th, they cannot be blamed for thinking that guns are in too ready supply. But an article in the latest Economic Journa suggests that the demand for illegal guns, at least, is not met as easily as people might fear. Sudhir Venkatesh, now of Columbia University, has talked to 132 gang-members, 77 prostitutes, 116 gun-owning youths, 23 gun-dealers and numerous other denizens of Chicago's Grand Boulevard and Washington Park neighbourhoods. He did not find many satisfied customers.

　　Chicago has unusually tough restrictions on legal handguns. Even so the black market is surprisingly “thin�? attracting relatively few buyers and sellers. The authors reckon that the 48,000 residents of the two neighbourhoods buy perhaps 1,400 guns a year, compared with at least 200,000 cocaine purchases. Underground brokers sell guns for $150-350, a mark-up of perhaps 200% over the legal price. They also demand a fee of $30-50 for orchestrating the deal. Even then, 30-40% of the transactions fall through because the seller cannot secure a gun, gets cold feet or cannot agree on a location for the deal.

　　Buyers also find it hard to verify the quality of the merchandise. They often know little about the weapons they covet. “Tony�? who owns a .38 calibre handgun, learnt how to use his weapon by fiddling with it. He even put a stone in it. “Did it fire?�?Mr Venkatesh asked. “I'm not sure. I think it did,�?Tony said.

　　Fortunately for Tony and his peers, their rivals and the victims of crime cannot tell if their guns work any better than they can. Often, showing the “bulge�?is enough to gain the respect of rival gangs. In robberies brandishing the weapon will usually do. Storekeepers do not wait for proof that it works.

　　Markets can overcome thinness, the paper says; they can also overcome illegality. But they cannot overcome both. A thin market must rely on advertising or a centralised exchange: eBay, for example, has dedicated pages matching sellers of imitation pearl pins or Annette Funicello bears to the few, scattered buyers that can be found. But such solutions are too cumbersome and conspicuous for an underground market. The drugs market, by contrast, slips through the law's fingers because of the natural density of drug transactions. Dealers can always find customers on their doorstep, and buyers can reassure themselves about suppliers through repeated custom. There are no fixed and formal institutions that the police could easily throttle.

　　Indeed, the authors argue that the gun market may be threadbare partly because the drug market is so plump. Gang-leaders are wary of gun-dealing because the extra police scrutiny that guns attract would jeopardise their earnings from coke and dope. Even Chicago's gang-leaders have to worry about the effect of crime on commerce.

　　Some of the gun transactins are unsuccessful mainly because_____

　　[A] it is not profitable as the underground price of gun far exceeds legal price.

　　[B] Chicago has surprisingly tough restrictions on the ownership and business of guns.

　　[C] the dealers are unable to guarntee whether the deal is really going to happen or not.

　　[D] it is hard to testify the quality of the guns in actual situations.

　　2.Compared with the gun market, the drug market can be “fat�?mainly because_____

　　[A] it hardly attracts the police’s attention due to the flexibility of the business.

　　[B] the drug dealings are taking place in higher frequency.

　　[C] there are no fixed and formal spots for drug dealing.

　　[D] drug is affordable to a larger number of people.

　　3. The word “cumbersome�?(Line 4, Pargraph 5) most probably means_____

　　[A] transparent.

　　[B] troubling.

　　[C] horrible.

　　[D] stupid.

　　4. The reason why the authors argue that the gun market may be threadbare partly because the drug market is so plump is _____

　　[A] that the drug transaction is more prefitable thatn gun-dealing.

　　[B] that the police are more dedicated to the gun-dealing than to the drug-dealing.

　　[C] that the gang-leaders are suppressing the gun-dealing in order to maintain their profit from drug

　　[D] that the gang-leaders are worried about the effect of crime on commerce.

　　5. Towards the future of gun-dealing, the author’s attitude is _____

　　[A] pessimistic.

　　[B] optimistic.

　　[C] desperate.

　　[D] sorrowful.

　　文章剖析�Q?/p>

　　�q�篇文章主要介绍了目前美国枪支黑市的情况。第一�D�通过���国人将枪杀案多的原因归于枪支比较容易获得这个观点引出Sudhir�l�调查后的驳�?�W�二�D�讲�q�强刉���市交易量情况;�W�三�D�c��第四段讲述买枪支�h员的情况;�W�五�D�c��第六段比较了枪支和毒品交易�Q�得出目前枪支交易惨淡的另一斚w��原因�?/p>

　　词汇注释�Q?/p>

　　denizen n. 居民 mark-up n. (��h���?标高的金�? 涨�h(hu��n)�q�度

　　fall through v. ��p�| cold feet. 临阵退�~?/p>

　　covet v. 觊觎�Q�垂�?calibre n. 口径

　　bulge n. �H��v brandish v. 挥舞

　　cubersome adj. 讨厌�? �ȝ���? �W�重的throttle v. 压制�Q�扼杀

　　threadbare adj. 破旧的，���薄�?/p>

　　隑֏��H�破�Q?/p>

　　Fortunately for Tony and his peers, their rivals and the victims of crime cannot tell if their guns work any better than they can.

　　[��M��句式] Their rivals and the victims cannot tell�?/p>

　　[�l�构分析] �q�是一个简单句�Q�前面的介词短语做句子的状语, any better than they can后面省略了tell�Q�也做句子的状语�?/p>

　　[句子译文] �q�运的是�Q�对于Tony�q�样的�h�Q�他们的敌�h以及(qi��ng)那些受害��Z��比他们强不了多少�Q��ƈ不能辨别��Z��支抢是否好用�?/p>

　　A thin market must rely on advertising or a centralised exchange: eBay, for example, has dedicated pages matching sellers of imitation pearl pins or Annette Funicello bears to the few, scattered buyers that can be found.

　　[��M��句式] A thin market must rely on�? eBay has dedicated�?/p>

　　[�l�构分析]�q�是一个简单句�Q�后面用来解释整个句子的从句中，matching…组成的现在分词短语做前面pages的定语，而后面有一个that引导的定语从句修饰buyers�?/p>

　　[句子译文] 一个狭�H�的市场要依赖于�q�告或是集中的交易。比如易���专门设出几��让那些卖假珍珠针饰的商家或Annette Funicello熊的商家与所能找到的极少的、分布在各地的买家进行配寏V�?/p>

　　题目分析�Q?/p>

　　1.Some of the gun transactins are unsuccessful mainly because_____ 1. 有一些枪支交易未能成功主要是因�ؓ(f��)_____

　　[A] it is not profitable as the underground price of gun far exceeds legal price. [A] 枪支黑市��h���q�远高过合法枪支的�h(hu��n)根{�?/p>

　　[B] Chicago has surprisingly tough restrictions on the ownership and business of guns. [B] 芝加哥对合法手枪有严格的限制�?/p>

　　[C] the dealers are unable to guarantee whether the deal is really going to happen or not. [C] 卖家不能保证交易是否能够发生�?/p>

　　[D] it is hard to testify the quality of the guns in actual situations. [D] 很难在实际情景下证实所销售枪支的质量�?/p>

　　[�{�案]C

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] ☆☆�?/p>

　　[分析] �l�节题。文章第二段提到�Q?0%�?0%的交易最后失败是因�ؓ(f��)卖家或是没有拿到枪支�Q?/p>

　　或者��(f��)阵脱逃，或者没有就交易地点达成一致。因此，交易��p�|的主要原因是卖家不能保证交易�Q?/p>

　　选项C�W�合题意。A选项在该�D�中有所涉及(qi��ng)�Q�但却不是交易不成功的直接原因。B与选项无关�Q?/p>

　　而D则涉�?qi��ng)到了第三段�Q�且所谈及(qi��ng)的是枪支的质量问题，而不是交易是否成功的问题�?/p>

　　2.Compared with the gun market, the drug market can be “fat�?mainly because_____ 2.与枪支市场相比，毒品市场比较兴旺是因为_____

　　[A] it hardly attracts the police’s attention due to the flexibility of the business. [A] 毒品交易非常灉|���Q�因此很隑֐�引警察的注意力�?/p>

　　[B] the drug dealings are taking place in higher frequency. [B] 毒品交易更加频繁�?/p>

　　[C] there are no fixed and formal spots for drug dealing. [C] 毒品交易没有固定、正式的场所�?/p>

　　[D] drug is affordable to a larger number of people. [D] 对于很多人来��_(d��)��他们都能够买得�v毒品�?/p>

　　[�{�案]B

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] ☆☆☆☆

　　[分析] �l�节题。文章第五段提到枪支交易因�ؓ(f��)其复杂性很难改变其惨��E的现�Ӟ��而相反地�Q�毒品交易因为其本��ndensity of drug transactions(毒品交易密度)的原因可以逃避法律�Q�接着下面���具体作了解释，比如交易很容易达成，而且其交易地点不固定�Q�警察不能轻易压制。主要原因就是由于其交易量本�w�比较大�Q�因此B为正���选项�Q�其中选项中的frequency可以视�ؓ(f��)density的统一词。A和C选项都是��D��了毒品交易频�J�的原因�Q�但是B选项却是题干的直接原因。D选项在原文中没有�Ҏ(gu��)���?/p>

　　3. The word “cumbersome�?(Line 4, Pargraph 5) most probably means_____ 3.“cumbersome�?�W�五�D늬�四行)最有可能的意思是_____

　　[A] transparent. [A] 透明的�?/p>

　　[B] troubling. [B] �ȝ��的�?/p>

　　[C] horrible. [C] 恐怖的�?/p>

　　[D] stupid. [D] 愚笨的�?/p>

　　[�{�案]B

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] ☆☆�?/p>

　　[分析]猜词题。该词所在的句子意思是“但是，对于一个地下市场来��_(d��)���q�样的解军_��法又�ȝ��又显眼”。前文中提到“一个狭�H�的市场要依赖于�q�告或是�l�一的交易。比如易���专门设出几��让那些卖假珍珠针饰的商家或Annette Funicello熊的商家和所能找到的极少的、分布在各地的买家进行配对”，昄����q�是很麻烦的。考生可以���四个选项分别代入原文�Q�其余三个选项都不能符合题意。答案�ؓ(f��)B�?/p>

　　4. The reason why the authors argue that the gun market may be threadbare partly because the drug market is so plump is _____ 4.研究者认为枪支市场惨淡部分是因�ؓ(f��)毒品市场比较兴旺�Q�这是因为_____

　　[A] the drug transaction is more prefitable that gun-dealing. [A] 毒品交易要比枪支交易利润更大�?/p>

　　[B] the police are more dedicated to the gun-dealing than to the drug-dealing. [B] 警察在枪支交易方面投入的�_�֊�比毒品交易多�?/p>

　　[C] the gang-leaders are suppressing the gun-dealing in order to protect their profit from drug. [C]匪徒头子压制枪支交易以保证从毒品中可以谋取的利润�?/p>

　　[D] the gang-leaders are worried about the effect of crime on commerce. [D] 匪徒头子担心商业犯罪的作用�?/p>

　　[�{�案]C

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] �?/p>

　　[分析]推理题。文章最后一�D�|��出，研究者认为枪支市场惨淡的部分原因在于毒品市场交易的兴旺，接着下面���具体作了解释。匪徒头子对于枪支交易非常警觉，因�ؓ(f��)他们��x��枪支会(x��)使得警察增加调查�Q�这样就�?x��)危及(qi��ng)其毒品交易的收入。那么可以看出，研究者这栯���为就是看��C��法分子的举措�Q�因此，�{�案C最为符合题意�?/p>

　　5. Towards the future of gun-dealing, the author’s attitude is _____ 5.作者对于枪支交易未来的态度是_____

　　[A] pessimistic. [A] �(zh��n)�观的�?/p>

　　[B] optimistic. [B] 乐观的�?/p>

　　[C] desperate. [C] �l�望的�?/p>

　　[D] sorrowful. [D] �(zh��n)�伤的�?/p>

　　[�{�案]A

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] ☆☆�?/p>

　　[分析]态度题。这���文章主要分析了目前���国枪支交易的情况，因�ؓ(f��)�U�种原因处于比较惨��E的状态，而从作者分析来看，对于未来的情况也不是很看好，���其和毒品交易相比较。因此，作者对其未来持�(zh��n)�观态度。因此正���答案�ؓ(f��)A选项。C和D选项的表�q�语气过于强烈，不符合原文的含义�?/p>

　　参考译文：(x��)

　　���国���在因�ؓ(f��)一则新的枪杀案—�?2�?日内部达斯加州一家商场的枪击案——而余�(zh��n)�未消，因此不能责怪他们将此归咎于枪支太容易得到。但是在最新的《经���期刊》上发表的一���文章认��������非法枪支需求�ƈ不像��Z��惌���得那么容易得到满���뀂Sudhir Venkatesh目前在哥伦比亚大学供职，他和132名歹徒�?7名妓奟�?16名拥有枪支的�q�轻人�?3名枪支经销商以�?qi��ng)许多在芝加哥大林荫大道及(qi��ng)华盛顿公园附近的居民交谈过�Q�但他�ƈ未发现有多少满意的顾客�?/p>

　　芝加哥在合法手枪斚w��有着严格的规定，即便如此�Q�黑市还是异常惨�?只有很少数的买卖双方在交易。研�I�者认�����两个区的48000个居民中间只购买1400支枪�Q�而可卡因的交易却臛_���?0万宗。地下代理�h销售枪支的��h���?50���元�?50���元�Q�这要比合法��h��高出200%。而且�Q�他们还要多�?0�?0���元的协调费用。即便如此，30%�?0%的交易还是流产了�Q�因为销售者或是没能拿到枪�Q�或是��(f��)�늕��~�，或是不能��׃��易地点达成一致�?/p>

　　买枪的�h发现要证实商品的质量也比较困难。他们对自己惌���的枪支的情况知之甚少。“Tony”有一把口径�ؓ(f��)38的枪�Q�他只能是自己把玩才能弄清楚怎么使用。他甚至�q�把一颗石头放在里面。“它能开火吗?�?Venkatesh问他。“我不知道。我惛_��该是的。”Tony回答说�?/p>

　　�q�运的是�Q�对于Tony�q�样的�h�Q�他们的敌�h以及(qi��ng)那些受害��Z��比他们强不了多少�Q��ƈ不能辨别��Z��支抢是否好用。一般地�Q�只要露出“凸起”的部分���可以赢得敌人的���重�Q�在抢劫中只要挥舞一下武器就够了。店��M���?x��)等着去证明抢知否有效�?/p>

　　文章提到�Q�市场可以克服惨淡经�? 也可以克服非法问题。但是不能同时克服两个问题。一个狭�H�的市场要依赖于�q�告或是集中的交易。比如易���专门设出几��让那些卖假珍珠针饰的商家或Annette Funicello熊的商家与所能找到的极少的、分布在各地的买家进行配寏V��但是，对于一个地下市场来��_(d��)���q�样的解军_��法又�ȝ��又显眹{��而毒品市场可以钻法律的空子，因�ؓ(f��)毒品交易是非帔R���J�的。卖��d��他们门口���p��扑ֈ���֮��Q�而买家作�����主��也能相信供应商。而且因�ؓ(f��)没有固定、正式的地方�Q�警察要�Ҏ(gu��)���q�行打击也比较困难�?/p>

　　实际上，研究者认为枪支市场如此惨淡的部分原因���在于毒品市�����于兴旺。匪徒头子对枪支交易十分警惕�Q�因为枪支会(x��)引�v警察额外的审查，从而危�?qi��ng)他们从毒品上获得的收入�Q�甚臌���芝加哥的匪徒头子也得担忧�l�济犯罪的媄响�?/p>