3.29 考研英语外刊阅读模拟试题【新难度6.0】

（ 请多多点击广告支持吧 ）

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. 

Text 1

A New Mexico jury determined that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms, a verdict signaling a changing tide against tech companies. The landmark decision comes after a seven-week trial, with jurors siding with state prosecutors who argued that Meta prioritized profits over safety, violating the state’s Unfair Practices Act.

The jury agreed that Meta engaged in “unconscionable” trade practices that unfairly took advantage of the vulnerabilities of children. Jurors found thousands of violations, each counting toward a penalty of $375 million—less than one-fifth of what prosecutors sought. However, since Meta is valued at about $1.5 trillion, its stock actually rose in after-hours trading, a signal that shareholders were shrugging off the news.

The social media conglomerate won’t be forced to change its practices right away. It will be up to a judge to determine whether Meta’s platforms created a public nuisance and whether the company should pay for public programs to address the harms. That second phase of the trial will happen in May. A Meta spokesperson stated the company disagrees with the verdict and will appeal, asserting they work hard to keep people safe and defend themselves vigorously.

New Mexico’s case was among the first to reach trial in a wave of litigation. More than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, claiming it contributes to a mental health crisis among young people by deliberately designing addictive features. “Meta’s house of cards is beginning to fall,” said Sacha Haworth of The Tech Oversight Project, noting that Meta has failed to stop predators from turning online interactions into real-world harm.

The New Mexico lawsuit also highlighted that Meta hasn’t fully addressed the dangers of social media addiction. While Meta executives acknowledged "problematic use," they argued that their investments in safety are both ethical and good for business. Tech companies have long been protected from liability for user content under Section 230 of the U.S. Communications Decency Act. However, prosecutors argued Meta should still be responsible for pushing harmful content through complex algorithms designed to maximize kids' engagement.

During the trial, jurors examined a raft of internal correspondence and heard testimony from executives, whistleblowers, and local educators who struggled with disruptions linked to social media, including sextortion schemes targeting children. They also considered Meta’s failure to enforce its ban on users under 13 and the role of its algorithms in prioritizing sensational content.

ParentsSOS, a coalition of families who have lost children to harm caused by social media, called the verdict a “watershed moment.” They applauded the milestone in the years-long fight to hold Big Tech accountable for the dangers their products pose to youth.

附注：根据历年考研英语真题阅读题源外刊等，摘选最新文章，模拟仿真出题。

参考答案见以下。

Quick look: ABCDB

21.【正确答案】A【解析】题型：推理判断题定位： 第二段最后一句“...each counting toward a penalty of $375 million—less than one-fifth of what prosecutors sought. However, since Meta is valued at about $1.5 trillion, its stock actually rose... a signal that shareholders were shrugging off the news.”（这项罚款不到检察官要求的五分之一。然而，由于Meta估值约1.5万亿美元，其股票实际上涨了，这表明股东们对这一消息不以为然。）分析： 原文指出3.75亿美元的罚款相对于Meta 1.5万亿的市值来说微不足道（不到检方要求的五分之一），股东们对此“不以为然（shrugging off）”，因此股票不降反升。选项 A “股东认为财务处罚微不足道”完美契合文意。干扰项：[B] 成功上诉，原文第三段才提到发言人说“将会上诉（will appeal）”，还未发生。[C] 检方决定减少罚款金额，原文是陪审团判决的金额低于检方要求，而非检方主动减少。[D] 陪审团驳回了不公平贸易指控，与第一句“陪审团同意Meta从事了不合情理的贸易行为”事实相反。

22.【正确答案】B【解析】题型：事实细节题定位： 第三段第二、三句“It will be up to a judge to determine whether Meta’s platforms created a public nuisance and whether the company should pay for public programs to address the harms. That second phase of the trial will happen in May.”分析： 原文明确指出，5月份的第二阶段审判将由法官决定Meta的平台是否构成了“公共妨害（public nuisance）”，以及该公司是否应为解决这些危害的“公共项目买单（pay for public programs）”。选项 B 完全对应原文细节。干扰项：[A] 重新评估受影响青少年的总数，原文未提及第二阶段要做此事。[C] 迫使Meta立即更改安全算法，原文首句刚说了“不会被立即迫使改变其做法”。[D] 提出关于儿童剥削的新证据，属于无中生有。

23.【正确答案】C【解析】题型：观点细节题定位： 第五段最后两句“Tech companies have long been protected from liability for user content under Section 230... However, prosecutors argued Meta should still be responsible for pushing harmful content through complex algorithms...”分析： 原文指出，科技公司一直受第230条保护免受用户内容带来的责任。但检方认为，Meta通过复杂的算法“推送（pushing）”有害内容，因此它仍应承担责任。这说明检方认为第230条并不能免除Meta因“算法推荐（algorithmic promotion）”而产生的责任。选项 C 准确概括了检方的观点。干扰项：[A] 免除赔偿责任，这与检方要求Meta负责的立场完全相反。[B] 修改法案加入反上瘾条款，原文检方只是就现有法律论述Meta的责任，未提议修改法案。[D] 保护高管免受交叉盘问，原文未提及盘问相关内容。

24.【正确答案】D【解析】题型：词义推断题定位： 第七段第一、二句“...called the verdict a ‘watershed moment.’ They applauded the milestone in the years-long fight to hold Big Tech accountable...”分析： 结合语境，受害家庭联盟称这一判决是一个“watershed moment”，并在下一句中为其欢呼（applauded），称其为多年抗争中让大型科技公司承担责任的“里程碑（milestone）”。由此可推断，该词组意为具有重大转折意义的时刻。选项 D “情况的关键转折点”最符合词义。干扰项：[A] 极度悲伤的时期，与他们在“欢呼（applauded）”的情感色彩相悖。[B] 立法上的暂时挫折，这是原告的胜利，不是挫折。[C] 意外的财务里程碑，这群家庭关注的是追责而非财务收益。

25.【正确答案】B【解析】题型：主旨大意题定位： 全文逻辑结构。分析： 文章首段开宗明义：新墨西哥州陪审团裁定Meta损害儿童心理健康并隐瞒剥削儿童的信息，标志着针对科技巨头的风向转变。后续段落分别论述了罚款细节、审判后续阶段、其他州的类似诉讼、以及原告方和受害家庭的胜利感言。核心始终围绕“Meta在儿童安全标志性案件中败诉”这一主题展开。选项 B “科技巨头遭抨击：Meta输掉儿童安全标志性案件”最能概括全文。干扰项：[A] 重点偏向“数据隐私（Data Privacy）”，而本文核心是“儿童安全与心理健康”。[C] 第230条只是第五段提及的一个法律背景细节，不足以概括全篇。[D] 股东的反应仅仅是第二段的一个次要细节。

【词汇注释】

【参考译文】

新墨西哥州的一个陪审团裁定，Meta公司故意损害了儿童的心理健康，并隐瞒了其平台上存在儿童性剥削的信息，这一裁决标志着针对科技公司的风向正在转变。这项具有里程碑意义的决定是在经过为期七周的审判后作出的，陪审员们支持了州检察官的观点，即拥有Instagram、Facebook和WhatsApp的Meta将利润置于安全之上，违反了该州的《不公平行为法》。

陪审团同意，Meta从事了“不合情理”的贸易行为，不公平地利用了儿童的脆弱性。陪审员们发现了数千起违规行为，每起违规行为累计罚款达3.75亿美元——这不到检察官要求金额的五分之一。然而，由于Meta的估值约为1.5万亿美元，其股票在判决后的盘后交易中实际上涨了，这表明股东们对这一消息不以为然。

这家社交媒体集团不会被立即迫使改变其做法。将由法官——而不是陪审团——来决定Meta的平台是否构成了公共妨害，以及该公司是否应该为解决这些危害的公共项目买单。审判的第二阶段将于5月进行。Meta的一位发言人表示，公司不同意这一裁决并将提出上诉，声称他们努力保护人们的安全，并将大力为自己辩护。

新墨西哥州的案件是涉及社交媒体平台及其对儿童影响的诉讼浪潮中首批进入审判阶段的案件之一。已有40多位州总检察长对Meta提起诉讼，指控其故意设计令人上瘾的功能，加剧了年轻人的心理健康危机。“Meta的纸牌屋开始倒塌了，”科技监督项目执行主任萨沙·霍沃斯说，他指出Meta未能阻止掠夺者将线上互动转化为现实世界的伤害。

新墨西哥州的诉讼还强调，Meta没有充分解决社交媒体成瘾的危险。虽然Meta的高管们承认存在“问题性使用”，但他们辩称其在安全方面的投资既符合道德，也有利于商业发展。长期以来，根据美国《通信规范法》第230条，科技公司一直免于对用户内容承担责任。然而，检察官辩称，Meta通过旨在最大化儿童参与度的复杂算法推送有害内容，因此仍应承担责任。

在审判期间，陪审员们审查了大量内部通信文件，并听取了高管、举报人以及因社交媒体带来的干扰（包括针对儿童的性勒索）而苦恼的当地教育工作者的证词。他们还审议了Meta未能有效执行禁止13岁以下用户禁令的问题，以及其算法在优先推送煽动性内容方面所起的作用。

ParentsSOS是一个由因社交媒体危害而失去孩子的家庭组成的联盟，该组织称这项裁决是一个“分水岭时刻”。他们对这一在多年抗争中取得的里程碑表示赞赏，这场抗争旨在让大型科技公司为其产品对青少年构成的危险承担责任。

附注：

Ludolf Bakhuizen

（ 点击广告为主包加速吧）