阅读理解
For most thinkers since the Greek philosophers, it was self-evident that there is something called human nature, something that constitutes the essence of man. There were various views about what constitutes it, but there was agreement that such an essence exists-that is to say, that there is something by virtue of which man is man. Thus man was defined as a rational being, as a social animal, an animal that can make tools, or a symbol-making animal. More recently, this traditional view has begun to be questioned. One reason for this change was the increasing emphasis given to the historical approach to man. An examination of the history of humanity suggested that man in our epoch is so different from man in previous times that it seemed unrealistic to assume that men in every age have had in common something that can be called "human nature." The historical approach was reinforced, particularly in the United States, by studies in the field of cultural anthropology. The study of primitive peoples has discovered such a diversity of customs, values, feelings, and thoughts that many anthropologists arrived at the concept that man is born as a blank sheet of paper on which each culture writes its text. Another factor contributing to the tendency to deny the assumption of a fixed human nature was that the concept has so often been abused as a shield behind which the most inhuman acts are committed. In the name of human nature, for example, Aristotle and most thinkers up to the eighteenth century defended slavery. Or in order to prove the rationality and necessity of the capitalist form of society, scholars have tried to make a case for acquisitiveness, competitiveness, and selfishness as innate human traits. Popularly, one refers cynically to "human nature" in accepting the inevitability of such undesirable human behavior as greed, murder, cheating and lying. Another reason for skepticism about the concept of human nature probably lies in the influence of evolutionary thinking. Once man came to be seen as developing in the process of evolution, the idea of a substance which is contained in his essence seemed untenable. Yet I believe it is precisely from an evolutionary standpoint that we can expect new insight into the problem of the nature of man."
单选题31.Most philosophers believed that human nature______.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】根据题干信息定位至原文第一段最后一句：There were various views about what constitutes it，but there was agreement that such an essence exists—that is to say，that there is something by virtue of which man is man．Thus man was defined as a rational being，as a social animal，an animal that can make tools，or a symbol-making animal．由此可知，这些内在特征将人类和动物分开了。选项[B]、[C]和[D]基本类似，都是在提正反两面，但是全文读完之后可以再次确定，这三项内容并非早期哲学家的看法和观点。故答案为[A]。
单选题32.The traditional view of "human nature" was strongly challenged by______.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】本题考查考生对于文章总体的把握程度。本题是问：传统的关于“人性”的观点受到以下哪一项的强大挑战?正确答案是对人的历史性的研究方法，即每个阶段人的差别很大。在第二段的开头可以找到对这个题目的解释：More recently，this traditional view has begun to be questioned．One reason for this change was the increasing emphasis given to the historical approach to man．选项[A]、 [C]和[D]都和题意不符。故答案为[B]。
单选题33.According to the passage, anthropologists believe that human beings______.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】根据题干定位至原文第二段第五句：The study of primitive peoples has discovered such a diversity of customs，values，feelings，and thoughts that many anthropologists arrived at the concept that man is born as a blank sheet of paper on which each culture writes its text．这表明人们生来是没有固定的“人性”的。选项[A]与议题相悖；选项[B]和[D]在文中未提及。故答案为[C]。
单选题34.The author mentioned Aristotle, a great ancient thinker, in order to______.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】作者以亚里士多德为例，一定是为了说明自己的观点。如果事例出现在文章中，一般都是为了证明事例出现前的观点。所以不难找到Aristotle出现之前的那句话：Another factor contributing to the tendency to deny the assumption of a fixed human nature was that the concept has so often been abused as a shield behind which the most inhuman acts are committed．由此可知，这个概念被滥用了，成为一些邪恶行为的借口。选项[A]、[C]和[D]都与原意不符。
单选题35.The word "untenable" in the last paragraph of the passage most probably means______.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】根据题干定位至原文最后一段的第二句：Once man came to be seen as developing in the process of evolution，the idea of a substance which is contained in his essence seemed untenable．可以看出，既然人是不断变化的，那么有一个一成不变的东西自然是矛盾的，所以选项[D]indefensible(站不住脚)与untenable(站不住脚的，不能维持的)意思最相近。选项[A]invaluable(非常珍贵的)；[B]imaginable(可以想象的)；[C]changeable(可以改变的)均不合题意。