2014年考研英语二真题及答案解析(精)(10)

[B]spend large sums of money won in lotteries

[C]obtain lasting satisfaction from money spent

[D]become more reasonable in spending on luxuries

【答案】A balance feeling good and spending money

【解析】主旨题。纵观全文可知，全文主要谈论花钱消费和心情愉悦之间的关系，因此答案定位在A选项。

Text 2

An article in Scientific America has pointed out that empirical research says that, actually, you think you re more beautiful than you are. We have a deep-seated need to feel good about ourselves and we naturally employ a number of self-enhancing strategies to research into what the call the “above average effect”, or “illusory superiority”, and shown that, for example, 70% of us rate ourselves as above average in leadership, 93% in driving and 85% at getting on well with others—all obviously statistical impossibilities.

We rose tint our memories and put ourselves into self-affirming situations. We become defensive when criticized, and apply negative stereotypes to others to boost our own esteem, we stalk around thinking we re hot stuff.

Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key studying into self-enhancement and attractiveness. Rather that have people simply rate their beauty compress with others, he asked them to identify an original photogragh of themselves from a lineup including versions that had been altered to appear more and less attractive. Visual reco