Section II Reading Comprehension
Part B
Directions:
The following paragraphs are given in a wrong order. For questions 41-45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent text by choosing from the list A-H and filling them into the numbered boxes. Paragraphs F, G, and B have been correctly placed. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
[A] Before intentionally leveraging this cognitive asset, however, one must navigate our evolutionary predisposition toward catastrophic forecasting. The Survival Optimisation System (SOS)—a set of neural instincts developed millennia ago to anticipate environmental threats—is responsible for this default pessimism. Today, that same physiological mechanism activates whenever you stand on the verge of a modern, non-lethal challenge. Your brain instinctively rushes to conjure vivid scenarios of failure, aiming to physically prime you for evasive action rather than constructive success.
[B] A valid skepticism often arises here: does an overabundance of optimistic forecasting breed detrimental complacency? The short answer is no, provided that cognitive rehearsal is coupled with rigorous tangible preparation. Imagery functions as a complement to physical practice, not an absolute substitute. By consciously selecting and directing the thoughts you cultivate, you shift from a reactive mindset dictated by evolutionary fear to a proactive state of empowerment and control.
[C] A phenomenon known as functional equivalence elucidates this cognitive dynamic, explaining how mental simulations govern tangible outcomes. It refers to the reality that the brain frequently fails to distinguish between visualizing an action and physically executing it. Consider elite athletes or concert pianists: when they vividly picture themselves running a race or navigating a complex melody, functional MRI scans reveal that the identical neural and motor circuits are activated. Essentially, their brains are engaged as if the physical task were already underway.
[D] Building on that foundation, when you picture yourself performing successfully, you must orchestrate a rich context utilizing all your senses. What do you see, hear, or feel in this precise moment? If delivering a speech, feel the solid microphone and visualize the soothing stage lights. By engaging multiple sensory dimensions during this rehearsal, you are essentially wiring your brain to execute the task with precision. To maximize this vividness, scripting out your imagery in advance can effectively scaffold your mental focus.
[E] When this psychological scaffolding is applied to discrete motor tasks, a temporal proximity between visualization and execution is paramount. Take your time to fully immerse yourself in the multisensory detail of a skillful movement. Then, ensure the physical practice occurs immediately after you’ve imagined performing it well. Just as physical repetition sharpens muscle memory, this immediate sequential pairing fortifies the neural connections tied to that specific skill, thereby translating abstract mental precision into tangible performance enhancement.
[F] You’re preparing for a critical event: a presentation, a tennis match, or a piano recital. Your mind wanders, envisioning every possible outcome. Do you picture yourself in control, confident and at your best? Or does your imagination toy with the idea of failure? The answer matters—it could affect your confidence and, ultimately, your performance. Yet, people rarely treat these moments spent in their imagination as seriously as they should. Most recognize the necessity of physical preparation, but neglect this fundamental cognitive layer. When faced with challenges, imagination isn’t merely a bystander; it is a potent instrumental force.
[G] Mitigating this inherent pessimism requires foundational adjustments to how you rehearse mentally. Contrary to the intuitive assumption that sensory deprivation—like closing one's eyes—optimizes mental wandering, empirical data indicates that individuals achieve equal visualization vividness with their eyes open. The crucial variable is physical stillness rather than visual isolation. Furthermore, embedding this practice into daily routines for mere minutes, rather than isolating it as a rare, exhaustive session, more effectively solidifies the neural pathways associated with eventual triumphs.
[H] Should persistent neurological anxieties breach these cultivated visualizations despite your best intentions, injecting absurdity serves as a potent countermeasure. Instead of attempting to forcefully suppress a disastrous mental image—which often reinforces its emotional weight—transform it into something laughable. Imagine delivering that nerve-racking presentation while riding a unicycle. This deliberate injection of sheer silliness strips away the negative emotional resonance, reframing the daunting situation into something psychologically manageable.
Order:F → 41. →42. → G → 43. → 44. → 45. → B
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: CADEH
41.【正确答案】C【解析】题型：概念承接/原理解释定位： 41 前是固定的首段 F。F 段结尾将想象力定义为一种“强大的工具力量（a potent instrumental force）”。分析： 既然 F 段抛出了“想象力是一种能影响表现的工具”这一论点，按照逻辑，下一步需要解释“它为什么能作为工具”。C 段开篇的 this cognitive dynamic（这种认知动态）精准指代了 F 段末尾提到的想象力影响成功的过程。同时，C 段引入了“功能等效性（functional equivalence）”来阐明其科学机制（大脑分不清想象与现实），完美实现了“提出论点 → 解释科学原理”的顺承关系。
42.【正确答案】A【解析】题型：逻辑转折/向下寻找线索定位：42 位于 C 段之后，且紧邻固定的 G 段之前。G 段的开篇句是极其关键的路标：“缓解这种固有的悲观主义（Mitigating this inherent pessimism）需要进行基础调整”。分析： 既然 G 段提到了要缓解 this inherent pessimism（这种固有的悲观主义），那么空格 42（即 A 段）的核心必然是在讨论某种“悲观主义”。A 段详细阐述了人类大脑为何会自动产生失败的画面，将其归结为进化带来的“默认悲观主义（default pessimism）”和“灾难性预测（catastrophic forecasting）”。同时，A 段开篇的转折句“在利用这一认知资产（this cognitive asset）之前，然而……”也完美回指了 C 段中被证明极具威力的大脑机制。A 段起到了极佳的承上启下作用。
43.【正确答案】D【解析】题型：逻辑递进/短语复现定位：43 承接固定的 G 段。G 段论述了心理排练的“基础调整（foundational adjustments）”。分析： D 段开篇给出了一个极其明显的递进信号词：“在此基础之上（Building on that foundation）”。这里的 that foundation 严丝合缝地绑定了 G 段的 foundational adjustments。随后，D 段详细指导了如何调用感官进行深度想象，并在最后一句抛出了一个极其特殊的核心概念：“提前写下想象脚本可以有效地为你的精神专注搭建脚手架（scaffold your mental focus）。”这为下一题埋下了伏笔。
44.【正确答案】E【解析】题型：概念抓取/应用深化定位：44 承接 D 段。D 段结尾提出了建立 scaffold（脚手架）的概念。分析： E 段开篇句直接进行了概念抓取与应用推进：“当这种心理脚手架（this psychological scaffolding）被应用于具体的运动任务时……”。这里的 this psychological scaffolding 形成了最经典的同义词复现绑定。E 段随后将 D 段的感官排练理论落地到了具体的物理动作执行上，强调想象与执行的“即时连续配对（immediate sequential pairing）”。
45.【正确答案】H【解析】题型：异常状况应对/让步反转定位：45 承接 E 段。同时，45 之后是固定的尾段 B。分析： 经过前文一整套完美的心理与身体结合排练（G →D →E），按理说应该万无一失。但 H 段开篇提出了一个让步假设：“如果尽管你初衷很好，持续的神经焦虑还是突破了这些培养出来的可视化画面（Should persistent neurological anxieties breach these cultivated visualizations...）”。此处的 Should... breach... 为虚拟语气倒装，表示异常情况。H 段随之提出了用“荒诞化（injecting absurdity）”作为最后的反制措施。这构成了整套心理训练体系的最后一道防线，并平滑地过渡到了 B 段对整体心理排练体系的最终宏观评价。
【结构】
现象与定调（Para F，首段固定）：指出人们常忽视心理排练，将想象力定调为一种“强大的工具力量”。
机制解释（Para C，填空41）：用“功能等效性”解释这个工具为何有效（大脑分不清想象与现实），紧承首段的定调。
心理障碍（Para A，填空42）：指出在使用工具前的障碍——人类因生存本能导致的“默认悲观”，为下文的锚点段做铺垫。
基础对策（Para G，中段固定）：提出缓解悲观情绪的“基础调整”，完美承接 A 段的固有悲观主义。
进阶对策1（Para D，填空43）：在基础之上（Building on that foundation），提出调用多重感官构建“心理脚手架（scaffold）”。
进阶对策2（Para E，填空44）：将这种“脚手架”应用于具体动作，强调想象与执行的时间连贯性。
异常反制（Para H，填空45）：如果上述努力仍被焦虑突破（breach），则用“荒诞幽默化”来化解危机。
总结升华（Para B，尾段固定）：澄清积极预测是否会导致自满的疑虑，重申心理与身体练习的互补关系。
【词汇注释】
envision: verb (IMAGINE) to imagine or expect that something is a likely or desirable possibility in the future 设想；预想elucidate: verb (EXPLAIN) to explain something or make something clear 阐明；解释predisposition: noun (TENDENCY) the state of being likely to behave in a particular way or to suffer from a particular disease 倾向；易感性mitigate: verb (REDUCE) to make something less severe, harmful, or painful 缓解；减轻empirical: adjective (EVIDENCE-BASED) based on what is experienced or seen rather than on theory 经验主义的；基于实证的scaffold: verb (SUPPORT) to provide a framework or support for learning or developing a skill 提供支架；为……搭建框架temporal: adjective (TIME) relating to practical matters or physical things, rather than spiritual ones; relating to time 时间的（temporal proximity 指时间上的接近性）complacency: noun (SATISFACTION) a feeling of calm satisfaction with your own abilities or situation that prevents you from trying harder 自满；自鸣得意【长难句】
原句：
Before intentionally leveraging this cognitive asset, however, one must navigate our evolutionary predisposition toward catastrophic forecasting.
拆解：
Before... leveraging... 为介词短语作时间状语，其中 leveraging 意为“利用”，this cognitive asset（这一认知资产）是极强的逻辑指代词，回指上文提到的大脑想象力机制。
however 作为插入语，提示了宏观逻辑的重大转折。
主干为 one must navigate our evolutionary predisposition（人们必须克服我们在进化上的倾向）。
toward catastrophic forecasting 作定语修饰 predisposition，指出这种倾向的具体内容：对灾难性结果的预测。
句意：
然而，在有意利用这一认知资产之前，人们必须克服我们在进化上倾向于进行灾难性预测的偏见。
【参考译文】
[F] 你正在为一场关键的活动做准备：一场演讲、一场网球赛或是一场钢琴独奏会。你的思绪开始游荡，设想着每一种可能的结果。你是想象自己掌控全局、充满自信且处于最佳状态？还是你的想象力在把玩着失败的念头？答案很重要——它可能会影响你的自信心，并最终影响你的表现。然而，人们很少像他们应有的那样认真对待这些在想象中度过的时刻。大多数人认识到身体准备的必要性，但却忽视了这一基本的认知层面。当面对挑战时，想象力不仅仅是一个旁观者；它是一种强大的工具力量。
[C] 一种被称为“功能等效性”的现象阐明了这种认知动态，解释了心理模拟是如何左右有形结果的。它指的是大脑往往无法区分“在脑海中可视化一个动作”和“在物理上执行它”这一事实。以精英运动员或音乐会钢琴家为例：当他们生动地想象自己正在赛跑或弹奏一段复杂的旋律时，功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）扫描显示，相同的神经和运动回路被激活了。从本质上讲，他们大脑的参与程度，就如同这项身体任务已经开始进行了一样。
[A] 然而，在有意利用这一认知资产之前，人们必须克服我们在进化上倾向于灾难性预测的偏见。“生存优化系统（SOS）”——数千年前为预见环境威胁而发展出的一套神经本能——正是导致这种默认悲观主义的原因。今天，每当你站在现代的、非致命的个人挑战的边缘时，那种相同的生理机制就会被激活。你的大脑会本能地急于创造失败或危险的生动场景，其目的是让你的身体为采取规避行动做准备，而不是为了建设性的成功。
[G] 缓解这种固有的悲观主义，需要对你的心理排练方式进行基础性调整。通常的直觉认为，诸如闭上眼睛等感官剥夺方式能优化思维的漫游；但与此相反，实证数据表明，人们在睁着眼睛时同样能达到同等的可视化生动程度。关键变量在于保持身体静止，而非视觉上的隔离。此外，将这种练习融入日常惯例中，哪怕只有几分钟，也比将其孤立为一次罕见、令人筋疲力尽的长时间训练，能更有效地巩固与最终胜利相关的神经通路。
[D] 在此基础之上，当你想象自己成功表现时，你必须调动所有的感官来精心构建一个丰富的背景。在这个精确的时刻，你看到了什么、听到了什么，或者感觉到了什么？如果是在发表演讲，去感受手中麦克风的质感，去想象舞台上柔和的灯光。通过在排练中调动多重感官维度，你基本上是在重新连接你的大脑，以便它能精准地执行任务。为了最大化这种生动性，提前写下你的想象脚本，可以有效地为你的精神专注搭建起脚手架。
[E] 当这种心理脚手架被应用于具体的运动任务时，可视化与实际执行之间在时间上的接近性就显得至关重要。花点时间让自己完全沉浸在一项熟练动作的多感官细节中。然后，确保在你想象自己表现得很好之后，立即进行身体上的实际练习。正如物理上的重复能强化肌肉记忆一样，这种即时的连续配对，强化了与该特定技能相关的神经连接，从而将抽象的心智精准度转化为了切实的表现提升。
[H] 如果尽管你初衷很好，但持续的神经焦虑还是突破了这些培养出来的可视化画面，那么注入荒诞感将成为一种强有力的反制措施。不要试图强行压制灾难性的心理图像——这往往只会强化它的情感分量——而是要把它变成可笑的东西。例如，想象你自己一边骑着独轮车，一边发表那场令人紧张的演讲。这种对纯粹愚蠢的刻意注入，剥去了负面的情感共鸣，将令人生畏的局面重塑为了在心理上可控的事物。
[B] 这里经常会出现一种合理的怀疑：过多的乐观预测是否会滋生有害的自满情绪？简短的回答是不会，前提是你要将认知排练与严格的实质性准备结合起来。想象力是身体练习的补充，而不是绝对的替代品。通过有意识地选择和引导你所培养的想法，你就能从由进化恐惧主导的反应性心态，转变为一种充满赋权感与掌控力的主动状态。
附注：
本篇 Flesch–Kincaid 可读性指标（估算英文文章纯语言阅读难度，数值越大代表难度越大，十分制）评分为7.5。参考：2026年英语（一）真题评分分别为 7.5 ，英语（二）为 7.2 。在话题熟悉度，逻辑复杂度、段落结构线索丰富度方面综合指标（数值越大代表难度越大，十分制）评分为9.0。参考：2026年英语（一）真题评分分别为8.5 ，英语（二）为6.8 。
