2017 年全国硕士研究生招生考试英语（一）试题
Section II Reading Comprehension
Part A
Directions:
Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing [A], [B], [C] or [D]. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)
Text 1
First two hours, now three hours—this is how far in advance authorities are recommending people show up to catch a domestic flight, at least at some major U.S. airports with increasingly massive security lines.
Americans are willing to tolerate time-consuming security protocols in return for increased safety. The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804, which terrorists may have downed over the Mediterranean Sea, provides another tragic reminder of why. But demanding too much of air travelers or providing too little security in return undermines public support for the process. And it should: Wasted time is a drag on Americans’ economic and private lives, not to mention infuriating.
Last year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found in a secret check that undercover investigators were able to sneak weapons—both fake and real—past airport security nearly every time they tried. Enhanced security measures since then, combined with a rise in airline travel due to the improving economy and and low oil prices, have resulted in long waits at major airports such as Chicago’s O’Hare International. It is not yet clear how much more effective airline security has become—but the lines are obvious.
Part of the issue is that the government did not anticipate the steep increase in airline travel, so the TSA is now rushing to get new screeners on the line. Part of the issue is that airports have only so much room for screening lanes. Another factor may be that more people are trying to overpack their carry-on bags to avoid checked-baggage fees, though the airlines strongly dispute this.
There is one step the TSA could take that would not require remodeling airports or rushing to hire: Enroll more people in the PreCheck program. PreCheck is supposed to be a win-win for travelers and the TSA. Passengers who pass a background check are eligible to use expedited screening lanes. This allows the TSA to focus on travelers who are higher risks, saving time for everyone involved. TSA wants to enroll 25 million people in PreCheck.
It has not gotten anywhere close to that, and one big reason is sticker shock: Passengers must pay $85 every five years to process their background checks. Since the beginning, this price tag has been PreCheck’s fatal flaw. Upcoming reforms might bring the price to a more reasonable level. But Congress should look into doing so directly, by helping to finance PreCheck enrollment or to cut costs in other ways.
The TSA cannot continue diverting resources into underused PreCheck lanes while most of the traveling public suffers in unnecessary lines. It is long past time to make the program work.
21.The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804 is mentioned to
[A] stress the urgency to strengthen security worldwide.
[B] highlight the necessity of upgrading major US airports.
[C] explain Americans’ tolerance of current security checks.
[D] emphasize the importance of privacy protection.
22. Which of the following contributions to long waits at major airports?
[A] New restrictions on carry-on bags.
[B] The declining efficiency of the TSA.
[C] An increase in the number of travelers.
[D] Frequent unexpected secret checks.
23.The word “expedited” (Line 4, Para.5) is closest in meaning to .
[A] faster
[B] quieter
[C] wider
[D] cheaper
24. One problem with the PreCheck program is .
[A] a dramatic reduction of its scale
[B] its wrongly-directed implementation
[C] the government’s reluctance to back it
[D] an unreasonable price for enrollment
25. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
[A] Less Screening for More Safety
[B] PreCheck—A Belated Solution
[C] Getting Stuck in Security Lines
[D] Underused PreCheck Lanes
【试题及文章解析】
【文章大意】
本文选自2016年5月的《华盛顿邮报》（The Washington Post），原文标题为《快一点，等一等》（“Hurry up and wait”）。本文主要围绕美国主要机场愈发冗长的安检队伍这一话题展开论述，文章分析了导致这一现象的原因、解决对策以及对策的利弊。
【篇章结构】
美国机场安检排队的问题
第一段：美国主要机场的安检队伍愈发冗长。
第二段：分析了人们愿意忍受耗时安检的原因。
第三段：分析了安检队伍变长的原因：安保增强和航班增加。
第四段：分析了安检队伍变长的原因：安检人手不足，机场空间有限和乘客过度打包随身行李。
第五段：提出一个解决安检队伍冗长的对策——预检项目。
第六段：分析预检项目的弊端——价格不合理。
第七段：敦促预检项目发挥效用。
【试题解析】
21.The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804 is mentioned to .
[A] stress the urgency to strengthen security worldwide
[B] highlight the necessity of upgrading major US airports
[C] explain Americans’ tolerance of current security checks
[D]emphasis the importance of privacy protection
21. 提及埃及航空公司804航班坠毁事件是为了 。
[A] 强调加强全球飞行安全的紧迫性
[B] 强调升级美国主要机场的必要性
[C] 解释美国人对当前的安检程序宽容的原因
[D] 强调保护隐私的重要性
[C] 细节题
【题干定位】根据题干中的 The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804 可定位至第二段第二句。
【解题思路】举例的功能在于支持观点，而观点通常在举例句的前一句。第二段第一句指出，美国人愿意忍受耗时的安检程序以确保安全，紧接着下一句指出原因：埃及航空804号航班以悲剧的形式再次提醒（provides another tragic reminders）大家为什么要这么做（即愿意费时接受安检）。据此可知，提及埃及航空公司804航班坠毁是为了解释美国人愿意接受耗时的安检程序的原因，故选[C]。
22. Which of the following contributions to long waits at major airport?
[A] New restrictions on carry-on bags.
[B] The declining efficiency of the TSA.
[C] An increase in the number of travelers.
[D] Frequent unexpected secret checks.
22. 以下哪一项导致了主要机场安检排长队的情况？
[A] 关于随身携带行李的新规定。
[B] 美国运输安全管理局效率不断下降。
[C] 飞机乘客数量的增加。
[D] 频繁的突击秘密检查。
[C] 细节题
【题干定位】由题干中的 long waits at major airports 可定位至第三段第二句。
【解题思路】根据第三段第二句内容可知，导致主要机场安检队伍变长的原因有两个：enhanced security measures（强化的安检措施）和 a rise in airline travel（航空旅行人数的增多），[C] 项 an increase in the number of travelers 为原文 a rise in airline travel 的同义替换。故选[C]。
23. The word “expedited” (Line 3, Para.5) is closest in meaning to .
[A] faster
[B] quieter
[C] wider
[D] cheaper
23. 第五段第三行的单词“expedited”最有可能的意思是 。
[A] 更快的
[B] 更安静的
[C] 更宽阔的
[D] 更便宜的
[A] 语义题
【题干定位】根据题干中的 Line 3, Para. 5 可定位至第五段第三句。
【解题思路】该句指出，那些需要进行背景调查的旅客可以用 expedited screening lanes。紧接着下一句用 this 指代前文，提到这一举措可以使 TSA 关注那些高危的旅客，从而节省每个人的时间（saving time for everyone）。既然能节省时间，故 expedited screening lanes 应与安检流程速度（加快）有关，[A] faster 能匹配此语义。故选[A]。
24. One problem with the PreCheck program is.
[A] a dramatic reduction of its scale
[B] its wrongly-directed implementation
[C] the government’s reluctance to back it
[D] an unreasonable price for enrollment
24. 预检项目存在的一个问题是。
[A] 规模大幅度削减
[B] 导向错误的实施
[C] 政府不愿对其提供支持
[D] 不合理的注册费用
[D] 细节题
【题干定位】根据题干中的 Precheck Program 和 one problem(fatal flaw) 可定位至第六段。
【解题思路】第六段阐述了该项目的问题，其中第一句指出，预检项目的一个大问题是sticker shock（价格标签让人震惊），之后解释：乘客必须每五年支付85美元来进行背景审核（Passengers must pay $85 every five years to process their background checks），预检项目的价格存在重大缺陷（this price tag has been PreCheck’s fatal flaw）。第三句还指出，接下来的改革可能会把价格调整到合理水平（Upcoming reforms might bring the price to a reasonable level），言外之意就是现在的价格“不合理”，综上，Precheck Program 的问题就是价格不合理，故选[D]。
【排除】[A]和[B]项在原文未提及。[C] 项与原文信息不符，原文在本段最后一句提到政府应该直接参与到价格调整中去（But Congress should look into doing so directly…），本句并未体现出政府是否愿意或不愿意支持这个项目。
25. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
1. The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804, which terrorists may have downed over the Mediterranean Sea, provides another tragic reminder of why.
【句子分析】本句主干为 The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804... provides another tragic reminder of why，为主谓宾结构；which 引导非限制性定语从句，修饰 Egypt Air Flight 804。
【翻译】疑因恐怖分子袭击而坠入地中海的埃及航空804号航班以悲剧的形式再次提醒大家为什么要这么做。
2. Last year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found in a secret check that undercover investigators were able to sneak weapons—both fake and real—past airport security nearly every time they tried.
【句子分析】本句主干为 the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found... that...；Last year 为时间状语；in a secret check 做状语，表范围；that 引导宾语从句，从句主干为 undercover investigators were able to sneak weapons，both fake and real 为同位语，解释说明 weapons，past 后面为状语表伴随，they tried 为定语从句。
3. Enhanced security measures since then, combined with a rise in airline travel due to the improving economy and low oil prices, have resulted in long waits at major airports such as
Chicago’s O’Hare International.
【句子分析】主干：Enhanced security measures... have resulted in long waits...；combined with... 为过去分词短语作状语，表伴随，其中 due to 引导原因状语；at major airports 为地点状语；句末的 such as 为举例部分。