2014考研英语（二）真题点评及来源

2014考研英语（二）真题阅读Text3来源于2013年6月的外刊，原文标题为Moneyandhappiness。这篇文章谈到了两个学者ElizabethDunnandMichaelNorton在他们的新书HappyMoney:TheScienceofSmarterSpending里建议中了$590m的84岁老太太GloriaMacKenzie该如何花这笔钱。与2012年相比，2013考研阅读文章同样注重时效性，所以2015考研的同学们一定要多多关注社会热点话题，汲取丰富的文化背景知识，如此能取得事半功倍的效果！从难度上来看，这篇文章比较简单，保持了英语二的一贯难度水平，所以考生只要静下心来很容易就能掌握住文章的主要内容和观点。需要提醒大家的是，对于相对简单的文章，出题人必然会在一些关键的词句上作出考察，而这些地方也是一些考生会存在理解障碍的地方。例如，Text3文章的最后一句话Butmostpeoplewillcomeawayfromthisbookbelievingitwasmoneywellspent.Comeaway是“离开”的意思；moneywellspent意思是“值得花的钱”，所以这句话的意思是“大多数人会远离这本书，相信花这个钱还是值得的”。不出所料的话，这句话肯定是一个重要的观点态度句，亲爱的考生们，你理解对了吗？2014考研英语（二）真题阅读Text3原文链接：HappyMoney:TheScienceofSmarterSpending.WHATwouldyoudowith$590m?ThisisnowaquestionforGloriaMacKenzie,an84-year-oldwidowwhorecentlyemergedfromhersmall,tin-roofedhouseinFloridatocollectthebiggestundividedlotteryjackpotinhistory.TheblogosphereisfullofadviceforthisluckyPowerballpensioner.Butifshehopeshernew-foundlucrewillyieldlastingfeelingsoffulfilment,shecoulddoworsethanread“HappyMoney”byElizabethDunnandMichaelNorton.Thesetwoacademics—sheteachespsychologyattheUniversityofBritishColumbia;helecturesonmarketingatHarvardBusinessSchool—useanofbehaviouralresearchtoshowthatthemostrewardingwaystospendmoneycanbecounterintuitive.Fantasiesofgreatwealthofteninvolvevisionsoffancycarsandpalatialhomesonremotebluffs.Yetsatisfactionwiththesematerialpurchaseswearsofffairlyquickly.Whatwasonceexcitingandnewbecomesold-hat;remorsecreepsin.Itisfarbettertospendmoneyonexperiences,sayMsDunnandMrNorton,likeinterestingtrips,uniquemealsorevengoingtothecinema.Thesepurchasesoftenbecomemorevaluablewithtime—asstoriesormemories—particularlyiftheyinvolvefeelingmoreconnectedtoothers.Thisslimvolumeispackedwithtipstohelpwageslavesaswellaslotterywinnersgetthemost“happinessbangforyourbuck”.Itseemsmostpeoplewouldbebetteroffiftheycouldshortentheircommutestowork,spendmoretimewithfriendsandfamilyandlessofitwatchingtelevision(somethingtheaverageAmericanspendsawhoppingtwomonthsayeardoing,andishardlyjollierforit).Buyinggiftsorgivingtocharityisoftenmorepleasurablethanpurchasingthingsforoneself,andluxuriesaremostenjoyablewhentheyareconsumedsparingly.ThisisapparentlythereasonMcDonald’srestrictstheavailabilityofitspopularMcRib—amarketinggimmickthathasturnedtheporksandwichintoanobjectofobsession.Readersof“HappyMoney”areclearlyaprivilegedlot,anxiousaboutfulfilment,nothunger.Moneymaynotquitebuyhappiness,butpeopleinwealthiercountriesaregenerallyhappierthanthoseinpoorones.Yetthelinkbetweenfeelinggoodandspendingmoneyonotherscanbeseenamongrichandpoorpeoplearoundtheworld,andscarcityenhancesthepleasureofmostthingsformostpeople.Noteveryonewillagreewiththeauthors’policyideas,whichrangefrommandatingmoreholidaytimetorecingtaxincentivesforAmericanhomebuyers.Butmostpeoplewillcomeawayfromthisbookbelievingitwasmoneywellspent.