2011年12月英语四级考试真题：快速阅读（沪江版）

　　2011年12月英语四级考试真题：快速阅读（沪江版）

　　继完形填空真题原文之后，网友们又“挖”出了2011年12月四级考试真题：快速阅读的原文。素材同样是出自国外网站，小编不禁要呼吁大家平常就要养成浏览英语原版素材的习惯啊！

　　Why Integrity Matters

　　为什么正直很重要

　　What is Integrity?

　　正直是什么？

　　"Integrity" is defined as "adherence to moral and ethical principles; honesty." The key to integrity is consistency--not only setting high personal standards for oneself (honesty, responsibility, respect for others, fairness) but also living up to those standards each day. One who has integrity is bound by and follows moral and ethical standards even when making life's hard choices, choices which may be clouded by stress, pressure to succeed, or temptation.

　　对于"integrity"（正直）这个词的定义是“坚守道德伦理原则，诚实”，达到正直的关键是一致性：不仅给自己树立高标准（诚实守信、有责任感、尊重他人、公平公正），更要坚持不懈遵守这些标准。正直的人即使在面对人生中艰难的选择时，比如饱受精神压力、不许失败的外部压力或者充满诱惑的选择，他也能感到道德伦理的约束并遵守准则。

　　What happens if we lie, cheat, steal, or violate other ethical standards? We feel disappointed in ourselves and ashamed. But a lapse of integrity also affects our relationships with others. Trust is essential in any important relationship, whether personal or professional. Who can trust someone who is dishonest or unfair? Thus, integrity must be one of our most important goals.

　　如果我们说谎了、骗人了、偷盗了、违背其他伦理准则了会如何？我们会对自己感到失望、感到羞愧。正直的缺失对人际关系也会产生影响。在任何重要的人际关系中，不论是私人关系还是职业关系，信任都是必不可少的。可是谁能去相信一个不诚实、不公正的人呢？所以说，正直绝对是我们最重要的目标之一。

　　Risky Business

　　风险那些事

　　We are each responsible for our own decisions, even if the decision-making process has been undermined by stress or peer pressure. The real test of character is whether we can learn from our mistake, by understanding why we acted as we did, and then exploring ways to avoid similar problems in the future.

　　我们每个人都需要对自己的决定负责，即便在做决定的过程中受到了精神压力或同事施加的压力的影响。对于性格的真正考验是看我们能否从过错中吸取经验，解析自己为什么会犯下过错，从而去探索方法，在将来避免类似问题。

　　Making ethical decisions is a critical part of avoiding future problems. We must learn to recognize risks, because if we can't see the risks we're taking, we can't make responsible choices. To identify risks, we need to know the rules and be aware of the facts. For example, one who doesn't know the rules about plagiarism may accidentally use words or ideas without giving proper credit, or one who fails to keep careful research notes may unintentionally fail to quote and cite sources as required. But the fact that such a violation is "unintentional" does not excuse the misconduct. Ignorance is not a defense.

　　想要避免将来犯错，做出合乎道德的决定至关重要。我们必须学会认识风险，因为看不到自己承担的风险就做不出负责的决定。想要认识风险，我们需要知道事情的规则，并对实际情况有所察觉。比方说，一个不清楚剽窃规则的人可能不经意间没有向作者守信便用了他的话或观点，一个在研究过程中没有仔细记录资料来源的人可能无意中忘了将资料标注为引用而直接使用。这样的违规虽然不是有意为之，但“无意”并不能作为行为不端的借口，无知不能作为辩护。

　　"But Everybody Does It"

　　别说“每个人都这么干”

　　Most people who get in trouble do know the rules and facts, but manage to fool themselves about the risks they're taking by using excuses: "Everyone else does it," "I'm not hurting anyone," or "I really need this grade." Excuses can get very elaborate: "I know I'm looking at another's exam, even though I'm supposed to keep my eyes on my own paper, but that's not cheating because I'm just checking my answers, not copying." We must be honest about our actions, and avoid excuses. If we fool ourselves into believing we're not doing anything wrong, we can't see the real choice we're making--and that leads to bad decisions.

　　惹祸上身的人中绝大多数都知道规则和事实，但是他们总能找借口来忽悠自己，抹去所承担的风险，比如“人人都这么干”、“我又没害谁”、“我真的需要这个分数”。有些理由还很复杂：“我知道自己有偷看其他人的试卷，虽然我应该只把目光放在自己的卷子上。但那不是作弊，我不过是核对一下答案，没有抄袭。”我们的行为必须诚实，不要给自己找借口。如果我们自欺欺人地让自己相信没有做错事，那么我们将无法看清自己真正的选择，而这会让我们做出糟糕的决定。

　　To avoid fooling yourself, watch out for excuses and try this test: Ask how you would feel if your actions were public, and anyone could be watching over your shoulder. Would you feel proud or ashamed of your actions? If you'd rather hide your actions, that's a good indication that you're taking a risk and rationalizing it to yourself.

　　想要避免自欺欺人，小心不要找借口，另外可以尝试做这个测试：扪心自问，如果你的行为是公开的，每个人都可能在监视你的一举一动，你是会感到骄傲呢还是羞愧呢？如果你想隐瞒自己的行为，那就明确意味着你是在冒风险并给自己找借口。

　　Evaluating Risks

　　评估风险

　　To decide whether a risk is worth taking, you must examine the consequences, in the future as well as right now, negative as well as positive, and to others as well as to yourself. Those who take risks they later regret usually focus on immediate benefits ("what's in it for me"), and simply haven't considered what might go wrong. The consequences of getting caught are serious, and may include a "0" on a test or assignment; an "F" in the class; Suspension or Dismissal from school; transcript notation; and a tarnished reputation. In fact, when you break a rule or law, you lose control over your life, and give others the power to impose punishment: you have no control over what that punishment might be. This is an extremely precarious and vulnerable position. There may be some matters of life and death, or highest principle, which might justify such a risk, but there aren't many things that fall in this category.

　　要判断一件事是否值得冒风险，你必须考虑各种后果：现在的将来的，积极的消极的，对己的对人的。那些冒了风险又后悔的人往往是只关注眼前利益（我有什么好处），却没有考虑会造成什么影响。行为被发现的后果非常严重：考试和作业得零分，这门课不及格，被学校停课或开除，被记过，名誉从此有污点。事实上，一旦你违反了规则或法律，你就失去了对自己生活的控制权，同时给了别人惩罚你的权利，而你连对是何种惩罚也没有掌控，这是极度危险脆弱的处境。也许有些理由可以为这一冒险辩护，什么事关生死、什么原则问题，但是没有多少理由可以把你逼入这一境地。

　　Getting Away With It--Or Not

　　侥幸逃脱了？不可能！

　　Those who don't get caught pay an even higher price. A cheater doesn't learn from the test, depriving him/herself of an education. Cheating undermines confidence and independence: the cheater is a fraud, and knows that without dishonesty, he/she would have failed. Cheating destroys self-esteem and integrity, leaving the cheater ashamed, guilty, and afraid of getting caught. Worst of all, a cheater who doesn't get caught the first time usually cheats again, not only because he/she is farther behind, but also because it seems "easier." This slippery slope of eroding ethics and bigger risks leads only to disaster. Eventually, the cheater gets caught, and the later he/she gets caught, the worse the consequences. Students have been dismissed from school because they didn't get this simple message: Honesty is the ONLY policy that works.

　　那些没被发现的人付出的代价其实更大。作弊者没有通过考试学到东西，他们剥夺了自己受教育的意义。作弊会瓦解人的自信心和独立性：作弊者是个骗子，他/她知道如果不是通过不诚实的手段，自己已经失败了。作弊摧毁了自尊和正直，让作弊者陷入愧疚、罪恶感和害怕被发现的不安中。最糟糕的是，第一次作弊没被发现的人往往还会进行第二次，不仅因为他/她在学习上更加落后了，也因为作弊看上去更容易。道德的侵蚀、风险的扩大只会导致灾难，最终作弊者会被抓住，而且被抓得越晚，后果越糟。学生会被学校开除是因为不懂这个简单的道理：诚实是唯一政策。

　　Cheating Hurts Others, Too

　　作弊也伤及他人

　　Cheaters often feel invisible, as if their actions "don't count" and don't really hurt anyone. But individual choices have a profound cumulative effect. Cheating can spread like a disease, and a cheater can encourage others just by being seen from across the room. Recent statistics suggest 30% or more of college students cheat. If a class is graded on a curve, cheating hurts others' grades. Even if there is no curve, cheating "poisons" the classroom, and others may feel pressured to join in. ("If I don't cheat, I can't compete with those who do.") Cheating also has a destructive impact on teachers. The real reward of good teaching is seeing students learn, but a cheater says, "I'm not interested in what you're trying to teach; all I care about is stealing a grade, regardless of the effect on others." The end result is a blatant and destructive attack on the quality of your education. Finally, cheating can hurt the reputation of the University, and harm those who worked hard for their degree.

　　作弊者常认为自己的行为是无形的，对别人没有什么意义，不会伤及他人。但其实个人的行为可以日积月累、产生深远影响。作弊可以像疾病一样传播开来，其他人在教室另一边看到了作弊者的行为，就可能受到鼓动而去作弊。最近的数据显示有30%或以上的大学生都有作弊行为。如果一门课是采取曲线评分的方式（比如分数在前10%的同学得A，接下来的20%得B，剩余70%得C），那么作弊就会影响到其他同学的成绩。即便不是曲线评分，作弊也会毒害班级，让其他同学感到压力而加入其中（那些同学会想“如果我不作弊，我就无法与那些作弊的人竞争取得好成绩”）。作弊对老师也有毁灭性的作用。老师用心教书的真正回报就是看到学生收获知识，但是作弊者却表示：“我对你教什么没有兴趣，我只想作弊得个好分数，不管对别人有什么影响。”最终的结果就是教育质量收到摧毁而显著下滑。到了最后，作弊甚至影响一所学院的声誉，影响那些为自己学业努力奋斗的人。

　　Why Integrity Matters

　　为什么正直很重要

　　If cheating becomes the norm, then we are in big trouble. We must rely on the honesty and good faith of others every day. If not, we couldn't put money in the bank, buy food, clothing, or medicine from others, drive across a bridge, get on a plane, go to the dentist--the list is endless. There are many examples of the vast harm that is caused when individuals forget or ignore the effect their dishonesty can have. The savings and loan scandal, the stock market and junk bond swindles, and, of course, Watergate, have undermined the faith of many Americans in the integrity of political and economic leaders and society as a whole. Such incidents take a tremendous toll on our nation's economy and our individual well-being. For example, but for the savings and loan debacle, there might be funds available to reduce the national debt and pay for education.

　　如果欺骗成为了规范，那我们就麻烦大了。我们必须每天依赖别人的诚实和善意来生活，如果不是这样，我们不敢将钱存入银行，不敢从别人那里买食品、衣物或药品，不敢开车过桥，不敢做飞机，不敢看牙医……各种“不敢”数不胜数。生活中有很多实例，体现了个人忘记或无视自己不诚实行为后果所造成的巨大伤害。存贷款丑闻、股票和垃圾债券诈骗、当然还有水门事件，如此种种削弱了众多美国公民对于政治领袖、经济高层的信任，乃至对于整个社会的信任。这些事件对美国的国家经济和个人福利都造成了巨大损害。比方说，倘若没有存贷款丑闻，那国家就可能有资金缓解国债，满足教育开支。

　　In sum, we all have a common stake in our school, our community, and our society. Our actions do matter. It is essential that we act with integrity in order to build the kind of world in which we want to live.

　　总而言之，在学校、在社区、在社会，我们都有着共同的利害关系，我们的行为会产生影响。为了构建一个我们想要的世界，正直行事至关重要。

大学英语四、六级考试 --- 六级真题