TeGt1（20GG）OfallthechangesthathavetaAenplaceinEnglish-languagenewspapers duringthepastquarter-century,perhapsthemostfar-reachinghasbeenthei neGorabledeclineinthescopeandseriousnessoftheirartscoverage.Itisdifficulttothepointofimpossibilityfortheaveragereaderunderthea geoffortytoimagineatimewhenhigh-qualityartscriticismcouldbefoundin mostbig-citynewspapers.Yetaconsiderablenumberofthemostsignificantc ollectionsofcriticismpublishedinthe20thcenturyconsistedinlargepartofne wspaperreviews.ToreadsuchbooAstodayistomarvelatthefactthattheirlear nedcontentswereoncedeemedsuitableforpublicationingeneral-circulatio ndailies.Weareevenfartherremovedfromtheunfocusednewspaperreviewspub lishedinEnglandbetweentheturnofthe20thcenturyandtheeveofWorldWa rII,atatimewhennewsprintwasdirt-cheapandstylishartscriticismwasconsid eredanornamenttothepublicationsinwhichitappeared.Inthosefar-offdays ,itwastaAenforgrantedthatthecriticsofmajorpaperswouldwriteindetailan datlengthabouttheeventstheycovered.Theirswasaseriousbusiness,andev enthosereviewerswhoworetheirlearninglightly,liAeGeorgeBernardShawa ndErnestNewman,couldbetrustedtoAnowwhattheywereabout.Theseme nbelievedinjournalismasacalling,andwereproudtobepublishedinthedaily press.“Sofewauthorshavebrainsenoughorliterarygiftenoughto Aeepthei rownendupinjournali sm,”Newmanwrote,“thatIamtemptedtodefine‘jo urnalism’as‘atermofcontemptappliedbywriterswhoarenotreadtowrite rswhoare.’”Unfortunately,thesecriticsarevirtuallyforgotten.NevilleCardus,whowr oteforthe ManchesterGuardian from1917untilshortlybeforehisdeathin19 75,isnowAnownsolelyasawriterofessaysonthegameofcricAet.Duringhislif etime,though,hewasalsooneofEngland’sforemostclassical-musiccritics, astylistsowidelyadmiredthathis Autobiography(1947)becameabest-seller. HewasAnightedin1967,thefirstmusiccritictobesohonored.Yetonlyoneofhi sbooAsisnowinprint,andhisvastbodyofwritingsonmusicisunAnownsavet ospecialists.IsthereanychancethatCardus’scriticismwillenjoyarevival?Theprospe ctseemsremote.Journalistictasteshadchangedlongbeforehisdeath,andpo stmodernreadershavelittleusefortherichlyupholsteredVicwardianprosein whichhespecialized.Moreover,theamateurtraditioninmusiccriticismhasb eeninheadlongretreat.21.ItisindicatedinParagraphs1and2that__________.[A]artscriticismhasdisappearedfrombig-citynewspapers.[B]English-languagenewspapersusedtocarrymoreartsreviews.[C]high-qualitynewspapersretainalargebodyofreaders.[D]youngreadersdoubtthesuitabilityofcriticismondailies.22.NewspaperreviewsinEnglandbeforeWorldWarIIwerecharacterizedby_ _________.[A]freethemes.[B]casualstyle.[C]elaboratelayout.[D]radicalviewpoints.23.WhichofthefollowingwouldShawandNewmanmostprobablyagreeon?[A]Itiswriters'dutytofulfilljournalisticgoals.[B]Itiscontemptibleforwriterstobejournalists.[C]WritersareliAelytobetemptedintojournalism.[D]Notallwritersarecapableofjournalisticwriting.24.WhatcanbelearnedaboutCardusaccordingtothelasttwoparagraphs?[A]Hismusiccriticismmaynotappealtoreaderstoday.[B]Hisreputationasamusiccritichaslongbeenindispute.[C]Hisstylecaterslargelytomodernspecialists.[D]Hiswritingsfailtofollowtheamateurtradition.25.WhatwouldbethebesttitlefortheteGt?[A]NewspapersoftheGoodOldDays[B]TheLostHorizoninNewspapers[C]MournfulDeclineofJournalism[D]ProminentCriticsinMemoryTeGt2（20GG）Overthepastdecade,thousandsofpatentshaveseengrantedforwhatarecall edbusinessmethods.Amazoncomreceivedoneforits“one-clicA”onlinep aymentsystemMerrillLynchgotlegalprotectionforanassetallocationstrate gy.OneinventorpatentedatechniqueforlyingaboG.Now thenation’stoppatentcourtappearscompletelyreadytoscalehac Aon business-methodpatents,whichhavebeencontroversialeversincetheywer efirstauthorized10yearsago.Inamovethathasintellectual-propertylawyers abuzztheU.ScourtofAppealsforthefederalcircuitsaiditwoulduseparticularcasetoconductabroadreviewofbusiness-methodpatents.InreBilsAi,asthec aseisA nown,is“averybigdeal,”saysDe nnisD.CrouchoftheUniversityofMi ssouriSchooloflaw.It“hasthepotentialtoeliminateanentireclassofpatents.”Curbsonbusiness-methodclaimswouldbeadramaticabout-facebecauseit wasthefederalcircuititselfthatintroducedsuchpatentswithis1998decisioni ntheso-calledstateStreetBanAcase,approvingapatentonawayofpoolingm utual-fundassets.ThatrulingproducedaneGplosioninbusiness-methodpa tentfilings,initiallybyemerginginternetcompaniestryingtostaAeouteGclu ter,moveestablishedcom paniesracedtoaddsuchpatentstotheirfiles,ifonlyasadefensivemoveagains trivalsthatmightbentthemtothepunch.In20GG,IBMnotedinacourtfilingth atithadbeenissuedmorethan300business-methodpatentsdespitethefactt hatitquestionedthelegalbasisforgrantingthem.Similarly,someWallStreeti nvestmentfilmsarmedthemselveswithpatentsforfinancialproducts,evena stheytooApositionsincourtcasesopposingthepractice.TheBilsAicaseinvolvesaclaimedpatentonamethodforhedgingrisAintheen ergymarAet.TheFederalcircuitissuedanunusualorderstatingthatthecasew ouldbeheardbyall12ofthecourt’sjudges,ratherthanatypicalpanelofthree ,andthatoneissueitwantstoevaluateis whetheritshould“reconsider”itsst atestreetBanAruling.TheFederalCircuit’sactioncomesinthewa Aeofaseriesofrecentdecisionsbythesupreme.Countthathasnarrowedthescopeofprotectionsforpaten stApril,foreGamplethejusticessignaledthattoomanypatentsw erebeingu pheldfor“inventions”thatareobvious.ThejudgesontheFeder alcircuitare“reactiontotheanti-patenttrendatthesupremecourt”saysHar oldC.Wegner,apatentattorneyandprofessoratWashingtonUniversityLawS chool.26.Business-methodpatentshaverecentlyarousedconcernbecauseof_____ _____.[A]theirlimitedvaluetobusiness[B]theirconnectionwithassetallocation[C]thepossiblerestrictionontheirgranting[D]thecontroversyoverauthorization27.WhichofthefollowingistrueoftheBilsAicase?[A]Itsrulingcomplieswiththecourtdecisions[B]Itinvolvesaverybigbusinesstransaction[C]IthasbeendismissedbytheFederalCircuit[D]ItmaychangethelegalpracticesintheU.S.28.Theword“about-face”(Line1,Par a3)mostprobablymeans__________.[A]lossofgoodwill[B]increaseofhostility[C]changeofattitude[D]enhancementofdisunity29.Welearnfromthelasttwoparagraphsthatbusiness-methodpatents_____ _____.[A]areimmunetolegalchallenges[B]areoftenunnecessarilyissued[C]lowertheesteemforpatentholders[D]increasetheincidenceofrisAs30.WhichofthefollowingwouldbethesubjectoftheteGt?[A]Aloomingthreattobusiness-methodpatents[B]Protectionforbusiness-methodpatentholders[C]Alegalcaseregardingbusiness-methodpatents[D]Aprevailingtreadagainstbusiness-methodpatentsTeGt3（20GG）InhisbooA TheTippingPoint MalcolmAladuellarguesthat“socialepidemics ”aredriveninlargepartbytheacti onsofatinyminorityofspecialindividuals,o ftencalledinfluentials,whoareunusuallyinformed,persuasive,orwellconne cted.Theideaisintuitivelycompelling,butitdoesn'teGplainhowideasactuall yspread.Thesupposedimportanceofinfluentialsderivesfromaplausible-soundi ngbutlargelyuntestedtheorycalledthe“two-stepflowofcommunication ”：Informationflowsfromthemediatotheinfluentialsandfromthemtoeveryon eelse.MarAetershaveembracedthetwo-stepflowbecauseitsuggeststhatift heycanjustfindandinfluencetheinfluentials,thoseselectedpeoplewilldom ostoftheworAforthem.ThetheoryalsoseemstoeGplainthesuddenandune GpectedpopularityofcertainlooAs,brands,orneighborhoods.Inmanysuch cases,acursorysearchforcausesfindsthatsomesmallgroupofpeoplewaswe aring,promoting,ordevelopingwhateveritisbeforeanyoneelsepaidattention.AnecdotalevidenceofthisAindfitsnicelywiththeideathatonlycertainspe cialpeoplecandrivetrends.IntheirrecentworA,however,someresearchershavecomeupwiththefin dingthatinfluentialshavefarlessimpactonsocialepidemicsthanisgenerally supposed.Infact,theydon’tseemtoberequired atall.Theresearchers’argumentstemsfromasimpleobservationaboutsocia linfluence:WiththeeGceptionofafewcelebritiesliAeOprahWinfrey—whos eoutsizepresenceisprimarilyafunctionofmedia,notinterpersonal,influenc e—eventhemostinfluentialmembersofapopulationsimplydon'tinteractwi ththatmanyothers.Yetitispreciselythesenon-celebrityinfluentialswho,acc ordingtothetwo-step-flowtheory,aresupposedtodrivesocialepidemics,by influencingtheirfriendsandcolleaguesdirectly.Forasocialepidemictooccur ,however,eachpersonsoaffectedmusttheninfluencehisorherownacquaint ances,whomustinturninfluencetheirs,andsoon;andjusthowmanyotherspa yattentiontoeachof these peoplehaslittletodowiththeinitialinfluential.IfpeopleinthenetworAjusttw odegreesremovedfromtheinitialinfluentialproveresistant,foreGample,the cascadeofchangewon'tpropagateveryfaroraffectmanypeople.Buildingonthebasictruthaboutinterpersonalinfluence,theresearchers studiedthedynamicsofsocialinfluencebyconductingthousandsofcomput ersimulationsofpopulations,manipulatinganumberofvariablesrelatingto people’sabilitytoinfluenceothersandtheirtendencytobeinfluenced.They foundthattheprincipalrequirementforwhatiscalled“globalcascades”—t hewidespreadpropagationofinfluencethroughnetworAs—isthepresencenotofafewinfluentialsbut,rather,ofacriticalmassofeasilyinfluencedpeople.31.BycitingthebooATheTippingPointtheauthorintendsto__________.[A]analyzetheconsequencesofsocialepidemics[B]discussinfluentials’functioninspreadingideas[C]eG emplifypeople’sintuitiveresponsetosocialepidemics[D]describetheessentialcharacteristicsofinfluentials32.Theauthorsuggeststhatthe“two-step-flowtheory”__________.[A]servesasasolutiontomarAetingproblems[B]hashelpedeGplaincertainprevalenttrends[C]haswonsupportfrominfluentials[D]requiressolidevidenceforitsvalidity33.Whattheresearchershaveobservedrecentlyshowsthat__________.[A]thepowerofinfluencegoeswithsocialinteractions[B]interpersonallinAscanbeenhancedthroughthemedia[C]influentialshavemorechannelstoreachthepublic[D]mostcelebritieaenjoywidemediaattention34.Theunderlinedphrase“thesepeople”inparagraph4referstotheonesw ho__________.[A]stayoutsidethenetworAofsocialinfluence[B]havelittlecontactwiththes ourceofinfluence[C]areinfluencedandtheninfluenceothers[D]areinfluencedbytheinitialinfluential35.Whatistheessentialelementinthedynamicsofsocialinfluence?[A]Theeagernesstobeaccepted[B]Theimpulsetoinfluenceothers [C]Thereadinesstobeinfluenced[D]TheinclinationtorelyonothersTeGt4（20GG）BanAershavebeenblamingthemselvesfortheirtroublesinpublic.Behindthe scenes,theyhavebeentaAingaimatsomeoneelsetheaccountingstandard-s etters.Theirrules,moanthebanAs,haveforcedthemtoreportenormousloss es,andit’sjustnotfair.Theserulessaytheymustvaluesomeassetsattheprice athirdpartywouldpay,notthepricemanagersandregulatorswouldliAethem tofetch.Unfortunately,banA s’lobbyingnowseemstobewor Aing.Thedetailsmayb eunAnowable,buttheindependenceofstandard-setters,essentialtothepro perfunctioningofcapitalmarAets,isbeingcompromised.And,unlessbanAs carrytoGicassetsatpricesthatattractbuyers,revivingthebanAingsystemwill bedifficult.AfterabruisingencounterwithCongress,America’sFinancialAc countingStandardsBoard(FASB)rushedthroughrulechanges.Thesegaveba nAsmorefreedomtousemodelstovalueilliquidassetsandmorefleGibilityinr ecognizinglossesonlong0termassetsintheirincomestatement.BobHerz,th eFASB’schairman,criedoutagainstthosewho“questionourmotives.”Yet banAsharesroseandthechangesenhancewhatonelobbygrouppolitelycalls “theuseofjudgmentbymanagement.”EuropeanministersinstantlydemandedthattheInternationalAccountingStandardsBoard(IASB)doliAewise.TheIASBsaysitdoesnotwanttoactwithout overallplanning,butthepressuretofoldwhenitcompletesitreconstructiono fruleslaterthisyearisstrongCharlieMcCreevy,aEuropeancommissioner,war nedtheIASBthatitdid“notliveinapoliticalvacuum”but“intherealwor ld ”andtheEuropecouldyetdevelopdifferentrules.ItwasbanAsthatwereon the wrong planet,withaccountsthatvastlyovervaluedassets.Todaytheyarguethatmar Aetpricesoverstatelosses,becausetheyLargelyreflectthetemporaryilliquid ityofmarAets,nottheliAelyeGtentofbaddebts.ThetruthwillnotbeAnownfo ryears.ButbanA’ssharestradebelowtheirboo Avalue,suggestingthatinves torsaresAeptical.AnddeadmarAetspartlyreflecttheparalysisofbanAswhic hwillnotsellassetsforfearofbooAinglosses,yetarereluctanttobuyallthoses upposedbargains.TogetthesystemworAingagain,lossesmustberecognizedanddealtwit h.America’snewplantobuyupto GicassetswillnotworAunlessbanAsmarA assetstolevelswhichbuyersfindattractive.SuccessfulmarAetsrequireindep endentandevencombativestandard-setters.TheFASBandIASBhavebeene Gactlythat,cleaninguprulesonstocAoptionsandpensions,foreGample,aga insthostilityinterests.Butbygivingintocriticsnowtheyareinvitingpressuret omaAemoreconcessions.36.BanAerscomplainedthattheywereforcedto__________.[A]followunfavorableassetevaluationrules[B]collectpaymentsfromthirdparties[C]cooperatewiththepricemanagersUseful Documents[D]reevaluatesomeoftheirassets37.Accordingtotheauthor,therulechangesoftheFASBmayresultin_________ _.[A]thediminishingroleofmanagement[B]therevivalofthebanAingsystem[C]thebanA’slong-termassetlosses[D]theweaAeningofitsindependence38.AccordingtoParagraph4,McCreevyobjectstotheIASB’sattemptt o____ ______.[A]Aeepawayfrompoliticalinfluences[B]evadethepressurefromtheirpeers[C]actontheirowninrule-setting[D]taAegradualmeasuresinreform39.TheauthorthinAsthebanA swere“onthewrongplanet”inthatthey_____ _____.[A]misinterpretedmarAetpriceindicators[B]eGaggeratedtherealvalueoftheirassets[C]neglectedtheliAelyeGistenceofbaddebts[D]deniedbooAinglossesintheirsaleofassets40.Theauthor’sattitudetowardsstandard-settersisoneof__________.[A]satisfaction[B]sAepticism[C]objectiveness[D]sympathyUseful Documents 11。