Section II Reading Comprehension

Part A

Directions :

Read the following four texts. Answer the questions after each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)


Text 1

It's true that high-school coding classes aren't essential for learning computer science in college. Students without experience can catch up after a few introductory courses, said Tom Cortina, the assistant dean at Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science.

However, Cortina said, early exposure is beneficial. When younger kids learn computer science, they learn that it's not just a confusing, endless string of letters and numbers——but a tool to build apps, or create artwork, or test hypotheses. It's not as hard for them to transform their thought processes as it is for older students. Breaking down problems into bite-sized chunks and using code to solve them becomes normal. Giving more children this training could increase the number of people interested in the field and help fill the jobs gap, Cortina said.

Students also benefit from learning something about coding before they get to college, where introductory computer-science classes are packed to the brim, which can drive the less-experienced or determined students away.

The Flatiron School, where people pay to learn programming, started as one of the many coding bootcamps that's become popular for adults looking for a career change. The high-schoolers get the same curriculum, butwe try to gear lessons toward things they're interested in,” said Victoria Friedman, an instructor. For instance, one of the apps the students are developing suggests movies based on your mood.

The students in the Flatiron class probably won't drop out of high school and build the next Facebook. Programming languages have a quick turnover, so theRuby on Railslanguage they learned may not even be relevant by the time they enter the job market, But the skills they learn-how to think logically through a problem and organize the results——apply to any coding language, said Deborah Seehorn, an education consultant for the state of North Carolina.

Indeed, the Flatiron students might not go into IT at all. But creating a future army of coders is not the sole purpose of the classes. These kids are going to be surrounded by computers——in their pockets, in their offices, in their homes——for the rest of their lives. The younger they learn how computers think, how to coax the machine into producing what they want——the earlier they learn that they have the power to do that——the better.


【总体分析】:

来源:The Atlantic《大西洋月刊》2015.05.14。作者呼吁对青少年开展计算机编程教育,按照“提出观点(第一至三段)——例证观点(第四至六段)”的脉络行文。

  1. Cortina holds that early exposure to computer science makes it easier to ________.

    科尔蒂纳认为早点接触计算机科学会使 ________ 变得更容易。

    解析

    【锁定答案】第二段①句指出 Cortina 的观点:早接触编码课程有益。③句进一步说明:年龄小的孩子改变思维过程不像年纪大的学生那样难。可见【B】正确。

    【排除干扰】【A】利用第二段⑤句 training、jobs 编造干扰,但该句意为“(让青少年早接触计算机知识)会增加对该领域感兴趣的人数,从而有助于填补岗位空缺”,并非“有助于完成未来的工作培训”。【C】【D】分别将②句“检验假设”和“设计插图”偷换为“构想逻辑假设”和“完善艺术制作”。

    【提炼思路】本题考查文中人物的观点。解题时:首先结合题干中人名关键词 Cortina 和话题关键词early exposure to computer science定位至第二段,然后将选项与原文进行比对:题干+【B】为对③句的改写(remodel the way of thinking = transform their thought process; makes it easier 对应 not as hard...as...),故【B】正确;其它选项或改变文中关系(【A】),或偷换文中概念(【C】【D】),故排除。


  2. In delivering lessons for high-schoolers, Flatiron has considered their ________.

    在为高中生上课时,熨斗学校考虑到了他们的 ________。

    解析

    【锁定答案】第四段②句指出,高中生的课程(与成年人)相同,但 Flatiron“会根据高中生的兴趣调整授课内容”,可见【B】正确。

    【排除干扰】【A】利用第三段末句experienced 一词设置干扰,但该词与熨斗学校为高中生上课的情形无关。【C】利用第四段①句 adults looking for acareer change 编造干扰,但此处意为“Flatiron 在寻求职业改变的成人中很受欢迎”,并非“Flatiron考虑到了高中生的职业前景”。【D】从第四段②句 get the same curriculum 中捕风捉影,但该内容是指“高中生的课程设置”无关“其学术背景”。

    【提炼思路】细节题的解答关键在于根据题干准确定位原文,并寻找与之最为契合的选项,排除利用背景信息形成的干扰。由题干 Flatiron、delivering lessons for high-schoolers、considered 可知本题问“Flatiron 面向高中生授课的特点、特色”,可定位至第四段②句后半句(we/Flatiron try to...),【B】(considered their) interest 是对原文 try to gear lessons toward things they're interested in 的概括。


  3. Deborah Seehorn believes that the skills learned at Flatiron will ________.

    黛博拉·希霍恩认为在熨斗学校学到的技能会 ________。

    解析

    【锁定答案】第五段②③句指出,虽然在 Flatiron 学到的编程语言会很快更新换代,但学到的技能(如何有逻辑地思考问题并组织结果)将适用于任何一种编码语言,可见【A】符合文意。

    【排除干扰】【B】【C】对第五段②句让步语义“当前所学的编程语言未必会适用于未来的岗位”断章取义,得出“学生们学到的技能必须要改进、提高”。【D】对②句aquick turnover 断章取义(取 turnover“营业额,成交额”之意),但此处该词意为“倾覆、翻转”,引申为“(编程语言)更新换代快”。

    【提炼思路】本题要求考生理解文中人物话语的言外之意、明确把握其整体观点,需要对人物话语进行概括推理。解题时必须:一、理解到“让步一转折”的语义重点在于转折之后,警惕利用“让步内容”设置的陷阱(【B】【C】);二、根据上下文理解短语的确切含义,警惕用其“非文中含义”设置的干扰(【D】)。本题正确项【A】help students learn other computer languages 是第五段③句 But the skils they learn...apply to any coding language 呼之欲出的信息。


  4. According to the last paragraph, Flatiron students are expected to ________.

    根据最后一段可知,熨斗学校的学生预计会 _________。

    解析

    【锁定答案】第六段指出:Flatiron的目的不仅限于“培养编码大军”;计算机正在也将继续影响人们的生活,人们越早接触计算机知识,了解其思维方式,让计算机为我所用,就越好。概括可知,Flatiron 致力于使人们更好地应对数字时代,【C】正确。

    【排除干扰】【A】从④句“孩子们所要学习的计算机相关内容(how computers think,how to coax the machine into producing what they want)”过度推出“他们将会带来创新的计算机技术”。【B】将①句“Flatiron的学生可能根本不会从事IT行业”改成与之相悖的“在IT业从业较长时间”。【D】利用②句a future army of coders 编造干扰,但该句表达的是“Flatiron的目的并非只是培养程序员大军”,无法从中推知学生会与未来的程序员大军竞争。

    【提炼思路】本题考查推理引申,需要整体理解第六段语义。正确项需是对段落的宏观把握,干扰项则往往是对段中细节的扭曲。解题时可借助逻辑词Indeed...might not... But...is not the sole purpose...发现①②句属于让步信息;③④句才是语义重点,本题正确项【C】become better prepared for the digitalized world是对末段③④句表述 These kids are going to be surrounded by computers.../The younger they learn...the earlier...the better的概括,为正确项。其他选项则扭曲文中细节。


  5. The wordcoax”(Para.6)is closest in meaning to ________.

    与“coax”(第六段,第四行)含义最接近的是 ________。

    解析

    【锁定答案】所考词所在句以两个并列宾语 learn how computers think,how to coax the machine into....指出:人们越早学习计算机如何思维、并如何coax它们完成自己所想,就会越好。再结合上句“未来世界人们将被电脑包围”可推知,作者意在指出“我们需要适应未来世界,在了解计算机思维的前提下,劝服/说服其为已所用”,【A】符合这一逻辑,故正确。

    【排除干扰】【B】frighten 违背文中“通过学习(learn...learn...)借助计算机行事”这一感情色彩【C】misguide 违背句中两个短语的“并列同向关系(了解其思维方式并……)”。【D】challenge 从形式上来说不能与into搭配,从内容上来说,文中并不涉及“向电脑挑战”这一内容。

    【提炼思路】本题要求考生根据上下文推断词义。解题时需:一、根据所考词所在句、其上下文,甚至全篇主要语义进行推理,形成顺滑逻辑。二、考虑文章的情感色彩,选取最为契合的选项;三、将选项放入句中,看是否能够搭配。本题的【A】符合③④句语义逻辑,且从情感上符合本文主旨“要尽早学习编码语言”。其他选项或违背④句两个从句之间“并列同向关系”,或违背文章整体情感色彩。


【全文翻译】:

的确,高中编码课程对于大学计算机科学的学习并非不可或缺。毫无学习经验的学生在几节入门课程之后便可以赶上,卡内基梅隆大学计算机科学学院的副院长汤姆·科尔蒂纳说道。

然而,科尔蒂纳提出,早些接触(编码课程)是有益的。年龄较小的孩子学习计算机科学时,会认识到它并非只是令人困惑的、无休止的字母与数字组成的字符串--也是构建应用程序、设计插图、检验假设的工具。对于他们来说,转换思维过程不会像年龄较大的学生那样难。把问题分解成小块然后使用编码解决问题会变得习以为常。给予更多孩子这样的培训会增加对这一领域感兴趣的人数,从而有助于填补职位缺口,科尔蒂纳说道。

学生也会从进入大学之前学习一些编码知识中获益,因为在大学里,计算机科学入门课程都排得满满当当,这可能会吓跑那些经验欠缺或意志不足的学生。

熨斗学校(Flatiron school),人们花钱来学编程的地方,创办之初只是众多编码培训营之中的一家,现如今已在那些寻求职业转变的成人中大受欢迎。高中生上相同的课程,但是“我们在努力根据他们的兴趣来调整课程。”一位名叫维多利亚·弗里德曼的讲师说道。例如,学生们正在开发的应用之一就是,基于你的心情推荐电影。

熨斗课堂的学生不大可能会从高中辍学去创建下一个脸谱网。编程语言不断推陈出新,因此在他们进入就业市场时,所学的“Ruby on Rails”语言也许甚至已与当下完全脱节。但是他们学到的技能——如何有逻辑地充分思考某问题并组织结果——适用于任何一种编码语言,北卡罗来纳州的一名教育顾问黛博拉·希霍恩说道。

事实上,熨斗学校的学生可能根本不会进入 IT 行业。但是创建一支未来的程序员队伍并不是这些课程的唯一目的。这些孩子未来的岁月将会被电脑包围——口袋中有电脑、办公室有电脑、家里有电脑。他们越早了解电脑如何思维,了解如何哄诱这一机器制造自己想要的东西——他们越早认识到自己具备做这些的能力——越好。