无论是备考考研英语的哪个阶段,考生们都要加强对考研英语单词的复习,结合历年考研英语真题和大纲词汇来进行考研英语单词是高效率的方法之一。从考研英语真题来理解单词monopoly和feudalism。

在2018年英语一中出现了考察了monopoly 这个词,原文及题目如下:

①The use of privacy law to curb the tech giants in this instance feels slightly maladapted. ② This practice does not address the real worry. ③It is not enough to say that the algorithms DeepMind develops will benefit patients and save lives. ④What matters is that they will belong to a private monopoly which developed them using public resources. ⑤ If software promises to save lives on the scale that dugs now can, big data may be expected to behave as a big pharm has done. ⑥ We are still at the beginning of this revolution and small choices now may turn out to have gigantic consequences later.⑦ A long struggle will be needed to avoid a future of digital feudalism. Ms Denham's report is a welcome start.

34. According to the last paragraph, the real worry arising from this deal is

A. the vicious rivalry among big pharms

B .the ineffective enforcement of privacy law

C .the uncontrolled use of new software

D .the monopoly of big data by tech giants.

本题题干提到大家对这个法案比较关切,这种关切或者说担心是由于什么原因。题干比较明确地指出答案在最后一段。本段前三句话在说科技巨头对信息的控制所引起的担忧。从第四句开始提到关切的内容:

本段选取了4句话。句④的意思是,真正让大家担心的私有的垄断公司使用公共资源来研发算法,之后这些数据将为这个公司所占有。句⑤意思是如果软件能够保证像现在的药物一样挽救大量的生命,那么大数据也可以向医药一样让人们有所期望。第⑥⑦句,我们现在仍然处在这个变革的开始,现在一个小小的选择可能会导致信息的“封建化”,即信息的封建时代的到来。而Denham 女士的报告预示着一个好的开始。

在理解了这段话之后,能够非常容易地选出答案,应该是D,即人们担心大数据会被打的信息公司所垄断。 题目本身的难度并不是很大。但是如果进一步探究会发现最后句子中用了feudalism, 即信息巨头如果垄断了这些数据的话,会导致信息的封建时代的到来。这里的信息的封建时代就究竟是什么意思?封建(feudalism)和垄断(monopoly)是什么关系?

根据为韦氏字典(Merriam-Webster)里的解释,feudalism指的是the system of political organization prevailing in Europe from the 9th to about the 15th centuries having as its basis the relation of lord to vassal, with all land held in fee and as chief characteristics homage, the service of tenants under arms and in court, ward ship and forfeiture.根据这个解释,可以看出”feudalism” 这种制度存在的基础就是“lord 地主“对土地的占有,并且这种占有是合法的,同时也占有依附于土地而生存的”vassal“,feudalism的特点就是通过契约可以让vassal 为其效忠,包括征战,出庭作证,以及放弃财产等。

同样的道理,monopoly 在Merriam-Webster里的解释,exclusive ownership through legal privilege, command of supply, or concerted action。可以看出monopoly 的意思是独占某物已达到控制的目的。

研究生入学考试主要考查的是同学们大学四年所学基础知识,试卷难度并不是很大,同学们备考2019考研英语复习时,一定要注意技巧。