2012全國碩士研究生入學(xué)統(tǒng)一考試英語試題

SectionIUseofEnglish

Directions：

Readthefollowingtext.Choosethebestword(s)foreachnumberedblankandmarkA,B,CorDon

ANSWERSHEET1.(10points)

TheethicaljudgmentsoftheSupremeCourtjusticeshavebecomeanimportantissuerecently.The

courtcannot]itslegitimacyasguardianoftheruleoflaw2justicesbehavelikepoliticians.

Yet,inseveralinstances,justicesactedinwaysthat3thecourt9sreputationforbeing

independentandimpartial.

JusticeAntoninScalia?forexample,appearedatpoliticalevents.Thatkindofactivitymakesit

lesslikelythatthecourt'sdecisionswillbe4asimpartialjudgments.Partoftheproblemisthat

thejusticesarenot5byanethicscode.Attheveryleast,thecourtshouldmakeitself6tothe

codeofconductthat7totherestofthefederaljudiciary.

Thisandothersimilarcases8thequestionofwhetherthereisstilla9betweenthecourt

andpolitics.

TheframersoftheConstitutionenvisionedlaw10havingauthorityapartfrompolitics.They

gavejusticespermanentpositions11theywouldbefreeto12thoseinpowerandhavenoneed

to13politicalsupport.Ourlegalsystemwasdesignedtosetlawapartfrompoliticsprecisely

becausetheyaresoclosely14

Constitutionallawispoliticalbecauseitresultsfromchoicesrootedinfundamentalsocial15

likelibertyandproperty.Whenthecourtdealswithsocialpolicydecisions,thelawit16is

inescapablypolitical-whichiswhydecisionssplitalongideologicallinesaresoeasily17asunjust.

Thejusticesmust18doubtsaboutthecourt'slegitimacybymakingthemselves19tothe

codeofconduct.Thatwouldmakerulingsmorelikelytobeseenasseparatefrompoliticsand,20,

convincingaslaw.

1.[A]emphasize[B]maintain[Cjmodify[D]recognize

2.[A]when[B]lest[C]before[D]unless

3.[A]restored[B]weakened[C]established[D]eliminated

4.[A]challenged[B]compromised[CJsuspected[D]accepted

5.[A]advanced[B]caughtFClboundIDjfounded

6.「Alresistant「B]subjeel[(']inmuinv「prone

7.[A]resorts[B]sticks「(']loads[I)Japplies

8.[A]evade[B^]raise[C]deny「D[scitic

9.[A]line[B]barrier[C]similarity[D]conflict

10.[A]by[B]as[C]though[D]towards

11.fA]so[B]since[C]provided[D]though

12.[A]serve[B]satisfy[C]upset[D]replace

13.[A]confirm[B]express[C]cultivate[D]offer

14.[A]guarded[B]followed[C]studiedCD]tied

15.[A]concepts[B]theories[C]divisions[D]conceptions

16.[A]excludes[B]questions[C]shapes[D]controls

17.[A]dismissed[B]released[C]ranked[D]distorted

18.[A]suppress[B]exploit[C]addressCD]ignore

19.[A]accessible[B]amiable[C]agreeable[D]accountable

20.[A]byallmeans[B]atallcosts[C]inaword[D]asaresult

SectionUReadingComprehension

PartA

Directions：

Readthefollowingfourtexts.AnswerthequestionsbeloweachtextbychoosingA,B,CorD.Mark

youranswersonANSWERSHEET.(40points.)

Text1

Comeon-Everybody9sdoingit.Thatwhisperedmessage,halfinvitationandhalfforcing,is

whatmostofusthinkofwhenwehearthewordspeerpressure.Itusuallyleadstonogood-drinking,

drugsandcasualsex.ButinhernewbookJointheClub,TinaRosenbergcontendsthatpeerpressure

canalsobeapositiveforcethroughwhatshecallsthesocialcure,inwhichorganizationsandofficials

usethepowerofgroupdynamicstohelpindividualsimprovetheirlivesandpossiblytheworld.

Rosenberg,therecipientofaPulitzerPrize,offersahostofexamplesofthesocialcureinaction：

InSouthCarolina,astate-sponsoredantismokingprogramcalledRageAgainsttheHazesetsoutto

makecigarettesuncool.InSouthAfrica,anHIV-preventioninitiativeknownasLoveLiferecruits

youngpeopletopromotesafesexamongtheirpeers.

Theideaseemspromising,andRosenbergisaperceptiveobserver.Hercritiqueofthelamenessof

manypubic-healthcampaignsisspoi-on：theyfailtomobilizepeerpressureforhealthyhabits,andthey

demonslrateaseriouslyflawedunderstandingofpsychology.MDaretobedifferent,pleasedon1t

smoke!Mpleadsonebillboardcampaignaimedatreducingsmokingamongteenagers-teenagers,who

desirenothingmorethanfittingin.Rosenbergarguesconvincinglythatpublic-healthadvocatesought

totakeapagefromadvertisers^soskilledalapplyingpeerpressure.

ButonIhegeneralvffcclivcncssofihcsocialcure,Rosenbergislesspersuasive.JointheClubis

filledwithloomuchirrelevantdetailandnotenoughexplorationofthesocialandbiologicalfactorsthat

makepeerpressuresopowerful.Themostglaringflawofihcsocialcureasit'spresentedhereisthat

?2?

itdoesn'tworkverywellforverylong.RageAgainsttheHazefailedoncestatefundingwascut.

EvidencethattheLoveLifeprogramproduceslastingchangesislimitedandmixed.

There'snodoublthatourpeergroupsexertenormousinfluenceonourbehavior.Anemerging

bodyofresearchshowsthatpositivehealthhabits-aswellasnegativeones-spreadthroughnetworks

offriendsviasocialcommunication.Thisisasubtleformofpeerpressure：weunconsciouslyimitate

thebehaviorweseeeveryday.,

Farlesscertain,however,ishowsuccessfullyexpertsandbureaucratscanselectourpeergroups

andsteeriheiractivitiesinvirtuousdirections,h'sliketheteacherwhobreaksupthetroublemakersin

thebackrowbypairingthemwithbetter-behavedclassmates.Thetacticneverreallyworks.And

that*stheproblemwithasocialcureengineeredfromtheoutside：intherealworld,asinschool,we

insistonchoosingourownfriends.

21.Accordingtothefirstparagraph,peerpressureoftenemergesas

[A]asupplementtothesocialcure

[B]astimulustogroupdynamics

[C]anobstacletosocialprogress

[D]acauseofundesirablebehaviors

22.Rosenbergholdsthatpublicadvocatesshould

[A]recruitprofessionaladvertisers

[B]learnfromadvertisersJexperience

[C]stayawayfromcommercialadvertisers

[D]recognizethelimitationsofadvertisements

23.Intheauthor'sview,Rosenberg'sbookfailsto

[A]adequatelyprobesocialandbiologicalfactors

[B]effectivelyevadetheflawsofthesocialcure

[C]illustratethefunctionsofstatefunding

[D]producealong-lastingsocialeffect

24.Paragraph5showsthatourimitationofbehaviors

[A]isharmfultoournetworksoffriends

[B]willmisleadbehavioralstudies

[C]occurswithoutourrealizingit

[D]canproducenegativehealthhabits

25.Theauthorsuggestsinthelastparagraphthattheeffectofpeerpressureis

[A]harmful

[B]desirable

「C]profound

[D]questionable

lext2

Adealisadeal-except,apparently*whenEntergyisinvolved.Thecompany,amajorenergy

?3?

supplierinNewEngland,provokedjustifiedoutrageinVermontlastweekwhenitannounceditwas

renegingonalongstandingcommitmenttoabidebythestrictstate'snuclearregulations.

Instead?thecompanyhasdonepreciselywhatithadlongpromiseditwouldnotchallengethe

constitutionalityofVermontJsrulesinthefederalcourt,aspartofadesperateefforttokeepits

VermontYankeenuclearpowerplantrunning.It'sastunningmove.

Theconflicthasbeensurfacingsince2002,whenthecorporationboughtVermont'sonlynuclear

powerplant,anagingreactorinVernon.Asaconditionofreceivingstateapprovalforthesale,the

companyagreedtoseekpermissionfromstateregulatorstooperatepast2012.In2006,thestalewent

astepfurther,requiringthatanyextensionoftheplant'slicensebesubjecttoVermontlegislature^

approval.Then,too,thecompanywentalong.

EitherEntergyneverreallyintendedtolivebythosecommiiments,oritsimplydidn't,foreseewhalwould

happennext.Astringofaccidents,includingthepartialcollapseofacoolingtowerin2007andthediscovery

ofanundergroundpipesystemleakage,raisedseriousquestionsaboutbothVermontYankee'ssafetyand

Entergy'smanagement-especiallyafterthecompanymademisleadingstatementsaboutthepipe.Enragedby

Entergy'sbehavior,theVermontSenatevoted26to4lastyearagainstallowinganextension.

Nowthecompanyissuddenlyclaimingthatthe2002agreementisinvalidbecauseofthe2006

legislation,andthatonlythefederalgovernmenthasregulatorypowerovernuclearissues.Thelegal

issuesinthecaseareobscure：whereastheSupremeCourthasruledthatstatesdohavesome

regulatoryauthorityovernuclearpower,legalscholarssaythatVermontcasewillofferaprecedent-

settingtestofhowfarthosepowersextend.Certainly,therearevalidconcernsaboutthepatchwork

regulationsthatcouldresultifeverystatesetsitsownrules.ButhadEntergykeptitswordthatdebate

wouldbebesidethepoint.

ThecompanyseemstohaveconcludedthatitsreputationinVermontisalreadysodamagedthatithas

nothinglefttolosebygoingtowarwiththestate.Butthereshouldbeconsequences.Permissiontoruna

nuclearplantisapublictrust.Entergyruns11otherreactorsintheUnitedStates?includingPilgrimNuclear

stationinPlymouth.PledgingtorunPilgrimsafely,thecompanyhasappliedforfederalpermissiontokeepin

openforanother20years.ButastheNuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)reviewsthecompany's

application,itshouldkeepinmindwhatpromisesfromEntergyareworth.

26.Thephrase""renegingonw(Line3.para.1)isclosestinmeaningto

[A]condemning

[B]reaffirming

[C]dishonoring

[D]securing

27.Byenteringintothe2002agreement,Entergyintendedto

[A]obtainprotectionfromVermontregulators

[Bjseekfavorfromthefederallegislature

[C]acquireanexlensionofitsbusinesslicense

[D]getpermissiontopurchaseapowerplant

28.AccordingtoParagraph4,Entergyseemstohaveproblemswithits

[A]managerialpractices

[B]technicalinnovativeness

[C]financialgoals

[D]businessvision

29.Intheauthor'sview,theVermontcasewilltest

[A]Entergy'scapacitytofulfillallitspromises

[B]thematureofstates'patchworkregulations

[C]thefederalauthorityovernuclearissues

[D]thelimitsofstates'powerovernuclearissues

30.Itcanbeinferredfromthelastparagraphthat

[A]Entergyrsbusinesselsewheremightbeaffected

[B]theauthorityoftheNRCwillbedefied

[C]EntergywillwithdrawitsPlymouthapplication

[D]Vermont'sreputationmightbedamaged

Text3

Intheidealizedversionofhowscienceisdone,factsabouttheworldarewaitingtobeobservedand

collectedbyobjectiveresearcherswhousethescientificmethodtocarryouttheirwork.Butintheeveryday

practiceofscience,discoveryfrequentlyfollowsanambiguousandcomplicatedroute.Weaimtobeobjective,

butwecannotescapethecontextofouruniquelifeexperience.Priorknowledgeandinterestinfluencewhatwe

experience,whatwethinkourexperiencesmean,andthesubsequentactionswetake.Opportunitiesfor

misinterpretation,error,andself-deceptionabound.

Consequently,discoveryclaimsshouldbethoughtofasprotoscience.Similartonewlystaked

miningclaims,theyarefullofpotential.Butittakescollectivescrutinyandacceptancetotransforma

discoveryclaimintoamaturediscovery.Thisisthecredibilityprocess,throughwhichtheindividual

researcher5sme,here,nowbecomesthecommunityfsanyone,anywhere,anytime.Objective

knowledgeisthegoal,notthestartingpoint.?

Onceadiscoveryclaimbecomespublic,thediscovererreceivesintellectualcredit.But,unlikewith

miningclaims,thecommunitytakescontrolofwhathappensnext.Withinthecomplexsocialstructure

ofthescientificcommunity,researchersmakediscoveries；editorsandreviewersactasgatekeepersby

controllingthepublicationprocess；otherscientistsusethenewfindingtosuittheirownpurposes；and

finally,thepublic(includingotherscientists)receivesthenewdiscoveryandpossiblyaccompanying

technology,sadiscoveryclaimworksitthroughthecommunity,theinleractionandconfrontation

belwcensharedandcompetingbeliefsaboutthescienceandthetechnologyinvolvedtransformsan

individual'sdiscoveryclaimintothecommunity^crediblediscovery.

Iwoparadoxescxislthroughoutthiscredibilityprocess.First?scientificworklendslofocuson

sonicaspectofprevailingknowledgethatisviewedasincomplcieorincorrect.Littlereward

accompaniesduplicaiionandconfirmalionofwhaiisalreadyknownandbelieved.Vhegoalisnew

?5?

search,notre-search.Notsurprisingly,newlypublisheddiscoveryclaimsandcrediblediscoveriesthat

appeartobeimportantandconvincingwillalwaysbeopentochallengeandpotentialmodificationor

refutationbyfutureresearchers,econd?noveltyitselffrequentlyprovokesdisbelief,belLaureateand

physiologistAlbertSzent-Gyorgyioncedescribeddiscoveryas“seeingwhateverybodyhasseenand

thinkingwhatnobodyhasthought."Butthinkingwhatnobodyelsehasthoughtandtellingotherswhat

theyhavemissedmaynotchangetheirviews.Sometimesyearsarerequiredfortrulynoveldiscovery

claimstobeacceptedandappreciated.

Intheend,credibility“happens“toadiscoveryclaim-aprocessthatcorrespondstowhat

philosopherAnnetteBaierhasdescribedasthecommonsofthemind.44Wereasontogether,challenge,

revise?andcompleteeachother'sreasoningandeachother'sconceptionsofreason.n

31.Accordingtothefirstparagraph,theprocessofdiscoveryischaracterizedbyits

[A]uncertaintyandcomplexity

[B]misconceptionanddeceptiveness

[C]logicalityandobjectivity

[D]systematicnessandregularity

32.ItcanbeinferredfromParagraph2thatcredibilityprocessrequires

[A]strictinspection

[B]sharedefforts

[C]individualwisdom

[D]persistentinnovation

33.Paragraph3showsthatadiscoveryclaimbecomescredibleafterit

[A]hasattractedtheattentionofthegeneralpublic

[B]hasbeenexaminedbythescientificcommunity

[C]hasreceivedrecognitionfromeditorsandreviewers

[D]hasbeenfrequentlyquotedbypeerscientistsw

34.AlbertSzent-Gy?rgyiwouldmostlikelyagreethat

[A]scientificclaimswillsurvivechallenges

[B]discoveriestodayinspirefutureresearch

[C]effortstomakediscoveriesarejustified

[D]scientificworkcallsforacriticalmind

35.Whichofthefollowingwouldbethebesttitleofthetext?

[A]NoveltyasanEngineofScientificDevelopment

[B]CollectiveScrutinyinScientificDiscovery

[C]EvolutionofCredibilityinDoingScience

[D]ChallengetoCredibilityattheGatetoScience

Text4

IfthetradeunionistJimmyHoffawerealivetoday,hewouldprobablyrepresentcivilservant.

?6?

WhenHoffa'sTeamsterswereintheirprimein1960,onlyoneintenAmericangovernmentworkers

belongedtoaunion；now36%do.In2009thenumberofunionistsinAmerica'spublicsectorpassed

thatoftheirfellowmembersintheprivatesector.InBritain,morethanhalfofpublic-sectorworkers

butonlyabout15%ofprivate-sectoronesareunionized.

Therearethreereasonsforthepublic-sectorunions'thriving.First,theycanshutthingsdownwithout

sufferingmuchinthewayofconsequences.Second,theyaremostlybrightandwell-educated.Aquarterof

America'spublic-sectorworkershaveauniversitydegree.Third,theynowdominateleft-of-centrepolitics.

Someofihcirtiesgobackalongway.Britain^laborParly,asitsnameimplies,haslongbeenasscxriaied

withtradeunionism.Itscurrentleader,EdMiliband,oweshisposiliontovotesfrompublicssectorunions.

Alihestaleleveltheirinfluencecanbeevenmorefearsome.MarkBaldassareofthePublicPolicy

InstituteofCaliforniapointsoutthatmuchofthestatedbudgetispatrolledhyunions.TheteachersJ

unionskeepaneyeonschools,theCCPOAonprisonsandavariclyoflaborgroupsonhealthcare.

Inmanyrichcountriesaveragewagesinthestatesectorarchigherihanintheprivateone.Buithe

realgainscomeinbenefitsandworkpractices.Politicianshaverepcaicdly**backloadednpublic-sector

paydeals,keepingihepayincreasesmodestbutaddingioholidays

andespeciallypensionsthatarealreadygenerous.

Reformhasbeenvigorouslyopposed,perhapsmostegregiouslyineducation,wherecharter

schools?academiesandmeritpayallfaceddrawn-outbattles.Eventhoughthereisplentyofevidence

thatthequalityoftheteachersisthemostimportantvariable,teachers*unionshavefoughtagainst

gettingridofbadonesandpromotinggoodones.

Asthecosttoeveryoneelsehasbecomeclearer,politicianshavebeguntoclampdown.In

WisconsintheunionshaveralliedthousandsofsupportersagainstScottWalker,thehardline

Republicangovernor.Butmanywithinthepublicsectorsufferunderthecurrentsystem,too.

JohnDonahueatHarvard'sKennedySchoolpointsoutthatthenormsofcultureinWesterncivil

servicessuitthosewhowanttostayputbutisbadforhighachievers.TheonlyAmericanpublic-sector

workerswhoearnwellabove$250,000ayearareuniversitysportscoachesandthepresidentofthe

UnitedStates.Bankers'fatpaypacketshaveattractedmuchcriticism,butapublic-sectorsystemthat

doesnotrewardhighachieversmaybeamuchbiggerproblemforAmerica.?

36.Itcanbelearnedfromihefirstparagraphthat

[A]Teamstersstillhavealargebodyofmembers

[B]JimmyHoffausedtoworkasacivilservant

[C]unionshaveenlargedtheirpublic'-sectormembership

[D]Ihegovcrnmcnihasimproveditsrelationshipwithunionists

37.WhichofthefollowingistrueofParagraph2?

[A]Public-scclorunionsarcprudentintakingactions

fBlEducationisrequired(orpublicsectorunioninrinbcrship

[]I,al)orPartyhaslongbeenfightingagainstpublicsectorunions

f1)1Publicsectorunionsseldomgelin1roubleforIheir;ic(ions

?7?

38.ItcanbelearnedfromParagraph4ihattheincomeinthestatesectoris

[A]illegallysecured

[B]indirectlyaugmented

[C]excessivelyincreased

[D]fairlyadjusted

39.TheexampleoftheunionsinWisconsinshowsthatunions

[A]oftenrunagainstthecurrentpoliticalsystem

[B]canchangepeople'spoliticalaltitudes

[C]maybeabarriertopublic-scclorreforms

[D]arcdominanlinihcgovernment

40.JohnDonahue'saltiludclowardsthepublic-sectorsyslcmisoneof

[A]disapproval

[B]appreciation

[C]tolerance

[D]indifference

PartB

Directions：

Inthefollowingtext,somesentenceshavebeenremoved.ForQuestions41-45,choosethemost

suitableonefromthelistA-Gtofitintoeachofthenumberedblanks.Therearetwoextrachoices,

whichdonotfitinanyoftheblanks.MarkyouranswersonANSWERSHEET1.(10points)

Thinkofthosefleetingmomentswhenyoulookoutofanaeroplanewindowandrealizethatyou

areflying,higherthanabird.Nowthinkofyourlaptop,thinnerthanabrown-paperenvelope,oryour

cellphoneinthepalmofyourhand.Takeamomentortwotowonderatthosemarvels.Youarethe

luckyinheritorofadreamcometrue.

Thesecondhalfofthe20thcenturysawacollectionofgeniuses,warriors,entrepreneursand

visionarieslabourtocreateafabulousmachinethatcouldfunctionasatypewriterandprintingpress,

studioandihcalrc,painlbrushandgallery,pianoandradio,themailaswellasthemailcarrier.

(41)..

Thenetworkedcomputerisanamazingdevicewihefirstmediamachinethatservesasthemodeof

production.meansofdislribution,silcofreception,andplaceofpraiseandcritique.Thecomputeris

the21sicentury'scullurcmachine.

Buiforallihereasons(herearclocelebrateIhecomputer,wcmuslalsoactwithcaution.

(42).IcallilasecretwarforIworeasons.First,mostpeopledonolrealize

thattherearcsirongcornnivrcialagendasalworkU)keepihemin|)assiv(-consuniplionmode.Second.

ihvnuijorilyofpeoplewhousem-lworkedcompulurslouploadarcnolcwnawareofIhesignificanceof

whatihryarcdoing.,

Allanimalsdownload?l)uionlyafewupload.Beaversbuilddamsandbirdsmakenests.YeIfor

,8?

themostpart,theanimalkingdommovesthroughtheworlddownloading.Humansareuniqueintheir

capacitytonotonlymaketoolsbutthenturnaroundandusethemtocreatesuperfluousmaterial

goods-paintings,sculptureandarchitecture-andsuperfluousexperiences…music,litcralurc,religion

andphilosophy.(43).

Forallthepossibilitiesofournewculturemachines,mostpeoplearestillstuckindownload

mode.Evenaftertheadventofwidespreadsocialmedia,apyramidofproductionremains,withasmall

numberofpeopleuploadingmaterial,aslightlylargergroupcommentingonormodifyingthatcontent,

andahugepercentageremainingcontenttojustconsume.(44).

Televisionisaone-waytapflowingintoourhomes.Thehardesttaskthattelevisionasksofanyone

istoturnthepoweroffafterhehasturnediton.(45).

Whatcountsasmeaningfuluploading?Mydefinitionrevolvesaroundtheconceptof“slickincss”一

creationsandexperiencestowhichothersadhere.

[A]Ofcourse,itispreciselythesesuperfluousthingsthatdefinehumanculiureandultimatelywhalit

istobehuman.Downloadingandconsumingculturerccjuircsgrealskills,butfailingtomove

beyonddownloadingistostriponeselfofadefiningconstituentofhumanity.

[B]A,whichallowuserstocombinepictures,wordsandothermediain

creativewaysandthensharethem,havethepotentialtoaddstickinessbyamusing,entertaining

andenlighteningothers.

[CjNotonlydidtheydevelopsuchadevicebutbytheturnofthemillenniumtheyhadalsomanagedto

embeditinaworldwidesystemaccessedbybillionsofpeopleeveryday.

[D]Thisisbecausethenetworkedcomputerhassparkedasecretwarbetweendownloadingand

uploading-betweenpassiveconsumptionandactivecreation-whoseoutcomewillshapeour

collectivefutureinwayswecanonlybegintoimagine.

[EjThechallengethecomputermountstotelevisionthusbearslittlesimilaritytooneformatbeing

replacedbyanotherinthemannerofrecordplayersbeingreplacedbyCDplayers.

[F]Onereasonforthepersistenceofthispyramidofproductionisthatforthepasthalf-centurytmuch

oftheworld'smediaculturehasbeendefinedbyasinglemedium-television-andtelevisionis

definedbydownloading.

[GJThenetworkedcomputeroffersihefirstchancein50yearstoreversetheflow,toencourage

thoughtfuldownloadingand,evenmoreimportantly,meaningfuluploading.

PartC

Directions：

Readthefollowingtextcarefullyandthentranslate(heunderlinedsegmentsintoChinese.Your

translationshouldl)cwrittenclearlyonANSWERSIIEET2.(10points)

SinceIhedaysofArislolle.asearchforuniversalprincipleshascharaclcrizcdthescicniific

enterprise.Insomeways.this(|uestforcomnionalilics<l(finesscience.Ncwion*slawsofmotionan(!

?9?

Darwinianevolutioneachbindahostofdifferenlphenomenaintoasingleexplicatoryframework.

(46)Inphysics>oneapproachtakesihisimpulseforunificalion〔oi」sexlreme,andseeksaiheory

ofcvcrylhingasinglegcncralivccqualicnforallwcsee.Itisbecominglessclear,however,thatsuch

aihcorywouldbeasimplification,giventhedimensionsanduniversesthatitmightemail.

Nonetheless,unificationofsortsremainsamajorgoal.

Thistendencyinthenaturalscienceshaslongbeenevidentinthesocialsciencestoo.(47)Here,

Darwinismseemsto。，伍「juslificationforifalhumanssharecommonoriginsitseemsreasonableto

supposeihalculluraldiversilycouldalsobeiracedlomoreconslrainedbeginnings.Justasthe

bewilderingvarietyofhumancourtshipritualsmightallbeconsideredformsofsexualselection,

perhapstheworld'slanguages,music,socialandreligiouscustomsandevenhistoryaregovernedby

universalfeatures.(48)Tofilteroutwhatisuniquefromwhatissharedmightenableusloundcrsiand

howcomplexcuhuralbehavioraroseandwhalguidesilinevolulionaryorcognilivelerms.

Thal,atIcasltisthehope.Butacomparativestudyoflinguistictraitspublishedonlinetoday

suppliesarealitycheck.Russell(irayattheUniversityofAucklandandhiscolleaguesconsiderthe

evolutionofgrammarsinthelightofIwopreviousaticmptstofinduniversalityinlanguage.

ThemostfamousoftheseeffortswasinitiatedbyNoamChomsky,whosuggestedthathumansarc

bornwithaninnatelanguage-acquisitioncapacitythatdictat