# Understanding the origins of workplace - 科目：雅思阅读真题（Part 3） - 考频：中频 - 最近考试：2026.2.8湖北省对外交流中心 - 题目数：14 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/16017773-c50b-494f-9016-958f627555d1（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 A Charles Darwin, the brilliant anthropologist and creator of the theory of evolution, is not normally associated with the modern business world. Nevertheless, Darwinian evolutionary theory is the foundation of a new wave of ideas about human behaviour in general and particularly the way people behave in the workplace; these ideas have been given the title of ‘evolutionary psychology’. Evolutionary psychology revolves around the notion that our brains, like our bodies, have an inherited evolutionary design that has scarcely changed for 10,000 years. As respected evolutionary psychology experts Leda Cosmides and John Tooby comment, ‘our modern skulls house a Stone Age mind.’ The US biologist Edward O Wilson sees evolutionary psychology as being a discipline which is based on both socio-biology, which is the study of the biological basis of social behaviour, and psychology, which is the systematic study of human behaviour. B Nigel Nicholson, an organisational psychologist from the London Business School, is a strong supporter of evolutionary psychology and on this subject has published Managing the Human Animal. His book takes the reader on a journey from the Stone Age plains of the savannah to the modern office, and includes a discussion of Darwinism and behavioural psychology together with a dissection of dysfunctional organisational behaviour. It is an effective approach explaining why people behave as they do, particularly at work. Evolutionary psychology is increasingly being cited in management circles, where managers are trying to understand puzzling aspects of human behaviour and by doing so improve the workplace. Nicholson believes that evolutionary psychology can help managers understand what goes wrong in organisational life and what they can do about it. C Nicholson maintains that evolutionary psychology dismisses the long-held assumption that our minds are like blank pages just waiting for culture and experience to write on them and shape our nature. He points out that sophisticated research shows the brain actually houses a store of knowledge when we are born, and now genetic research is establishing there are certain genes that account for abilities, tastes and tendencies. The stored knowledge in the human brain has not changed much since the Stone Age. As Tooby and Cosmides stress, there have not been enough generations for a brain that is well adapted to our post-industrial life to evolve through natural selection. D The evolutionary psychology version of human nature revolves around some key elements which we have inherited from our hunter-gatherer minds. One key element is emotion. Emotion was originally essential to keep early man alive and safe from predators. Emotion was, and continues to be our radar, guiding us throughout today’s techno-defined business world. Despite this, the business world emphasises rational not emotional behaviour, and does not admit the importance of emotion. We still use the emotional part of our minds to make sense of other people’s behaviour and to create an impression, so we can often be taken in by appearances. This mental predisposition actually works best in small communities (the tribe), not in much larger environments filled with people we barely know (the modern workplace). Our minds naturally try to re-create our ancestral communities with a network of no more than 150 people, where there are clear hierarchies and leaders. As a consequence, it takes very little to trigger people’s innate distrust of others because our safety in antiquity depended on supporting our near family and friends whom we valued more than other people. E So what advice does Nicholson have for the corporate world? He thinks that by knowing the reasons for people’s behaviour it is possible to mould corporate environments into places that have more chance of working efficiently and being pleasant places to work in. Nicholson admits that not everybody in the business world agrees with his belief in the effectiveness of evolutionary psychology in the workplace. One group that resists the theory of evolutionary psychology is young MBA graduates who are just beginning their careers and feel that evolutionary psychology will make their lives at work more difficult. Older and wiser executives are more receptive to the theory of evolutionary psychology, although Nicholson points out that they still tend to cling to the idea of a magic formula to bring people into line with corporate strategy. But that is back-to-front thinking according to Nicholson, who contends that we should be reinventing our business structures, not our fundamental human nature. F At the end of his book, Nicholson gives his forecast of what will and will not change in the business world. He believes that most people will still prefer more traditional forms of work and throughout their lives will continue to aim at lifelong status advancement. He also maintains that the line between work and home will be less defined, but that people will still prefer traditional working patterns as working from home leaves them isolated from their work community. He doubts that the high-tech ideas of virtual companies will ever be very successful because people will still want to meet each other face-to-face. Nicholson describes his ideal organisation in the future: it would be decentralized, with small sub-units; the staff would be from diverse backgrounds and be allowed a high degree of self-determination. New endeavours and creativity would replace systems and rationality. Nicholson acknowledges that there is a long way to go in terms of the translation of his ideas of evolutionary psychology into practical propositions, but he is confident more and more people will come round to his way of thinking. ## 题目与答案 ### 27. 27 The writer’s purpose in the first paragraph is to 27 The writer’s purpose in the first paragraph is to - oppose the views of Charles Darwin. - compare experts’ opinions of Darwin’s theory. - explain the theory of evolutionary psychology. - name experts in the field of evolutionary psychology. **答案**：explain the theory of evolutionary psychology. 原文定位：Darwinian evolutionary theory is the foundation of a new wave of ideas about human behaviour;particularly the way people behave in the workplace; these ideas have been given the title of ‘evolutionary psychology;Evolutionary psychology revolves around the notion that 同义替换：「explain」↔「revolves」；「theory」↔「notion」 ### 28. 28 In the third paragraph which view about evolutionary psychology matches Nicholson’s opinion? 28 In the third paragraph which view about evolutionary psychology matches Nicholson’s opinion? - Our characters determine our career choices. - We begin life without any preset characteristics. - Our interests and skills depend on our environment. - We inherit ideas and characteristics from our ancestors. **答案**：We inherit ideas and characteristics from our ancestors. 原文定位：sophisticated research shows the brain actually houses a store of knowledge when we are born;genetic research is establishing there are certain genes that account for abilities, tastes and tendencies;The stored knowledge in the human brain has not changed much since the Stone Age 同义替换：「inherit」↔「when we are born」；「ideas」↔「knowledge」；「characteristics」↔「abilities, tastes and tendencies」；「from our ancestors」↔「since the Stone Age」 ### 29. 29 The writer discusses the key element of emotion in order to 29 The writer discusses the key element of emotion in order to - criticise primitive survival strategies. - explain attitudes and actions at work. - demonstrate the slowness of evolution. - suggest companies today are poorly structured. **答案**：explain attitudes and actions at work. 原文定位：Emotion was, and continues to be our radar, guiding us throughout today’s techno-defined business world. Despite this, the business world emphasises rational not emotional behaviour, and does not admit the importance of emotion. We still use the emotional part of our minds to make sense of other people’s behaviour and to create an impression 同义替换：「explain」↔「make sense」；「actions」↔「behaviour」；「work」↔「business world」 ### 30. 30 Which of the following does Nicholson predict will happen in the business world? 30 Which of the following does Nicholson predict will happen in the business world? - Companies will remain in city centres. - Promotion will no longer motivate people. - Employees will be less independent than now. - Social interaction will remain important to workers. **答案**：Social interaction will remain important to workers. 原文定位：He doubts that the high-tech ideas of virtual companies will ever be very successful because people will still want to meet each other face-to-face;People will still prefer traditional working patterns as working from home leaves them isolated from their work community 同义替换：「Social interaction」↔「work community」；「remain」↔「still」；「important」↔「prefer」；「workers」↔「employees」 ### 31. 31 Which of the following is the most suitable title for Part 3? 31 Which of the following is the most suitable title for Part 3? - How successful companies manage change - Understanding the origins of workplace behaviour - Darwin’s theories rejected by modern management - Why post-industrial organisations need to evolve more quickly **答案**：Understanding the origins of workplace behaviour ### 32. 32 Nicholson makes a persuasive argument in his book. 32 Nicholson makes a persuasive argument in his book. - YES - NO - NOT GIVEN **答案**：YES 原文定位：His book is an effective approach explaining why people behave as they do, particularly at work;Evolutionary psychology is increasingly being cited in management circles 同义替换：「persuasive argument」↔「effective approach」 ### 33. 33 Tooby and Cosmides believe natural selection through the generations has prepared our minds well for the modern workplace. 33 Tooby and Cosmides believe natural selection through the generations has prepared our minds well for the modern workplace. - YES - NO - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NO 原文定位：As Tooby and Cosmides stress, there have not been enough generations for a brain that is well adapted to our post-industrial life to evolve through natural selection 同义替换：「prepared our minds well for」↔「well adapted to」；「modern workplace」↔「post-industrial life」 ### 34. 34 Our reliance on technology causes emotional problems in the workplace. 34 Our reliance on technology causes emotional problems in the workplace. - YES - NO - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN ### 35. 35 People today are more trusting than they used to be. 35 People today are more trusting than they used to be. - YES - NO - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NO 原文定位：it takes very little to trigger people’s innate distrust of others because our safety in antiquity depended on supporting our near family and friends whom we valued more than other people ### 36. Nicholson’s advice to the corporate world Nicholson believes that if we know why people act the way they do, we can change 36_____ so employees will work more efficiently. Nicholson’s advice to the corporate world Nicholson believes that if we know why people act the way they do, we can change 36_____ so employees will work more efficiently. - business leaders - MBA graduates - promotion structures - reward strategy - magic formula - strategic planning **答案**：business environments 原文定位：He thinks that by knowing the reasons for people’s behaviour it is possible to mould corporate environments into places that have more chance of working efficiently 同义替换：「change」↔「mould」；「business」↔「corporate」 ### 37. Nicholson’s ideas are unwelcome to 37_____ but some executives are more open to what evolutionary psychology says. Nicholson’s ideas are unwelcome to 37_____ but some executives are more open to what evolutionary psychology says. - business leaders - MBA graduates - promotion structures - reward strategy - magic formula - strategic planning **答案**：MBA graduates 原文定位：One group that resists the theory of evolutionary psychology is young MBA graduates who are just beginning their careers 同义替换：「unwelcome」↔「resists」 ### 38. However, these executives still believe that there is a 38_____ that will make employees act according to the company’s practices. However, these executives still believe that there is a 38_____ that will make employees act according to the company’s practices. - business leaders - MBA graduates - promotion structures - reward strategy - magic formula - strategic planning **答案**：magic formula 原文定位：Older and wiser executives are more receptive to the theory;although Nicholson points out that they still tend to cling to the idea of a magic formula to bring people into line with corporate strategy 同义替换：「believe」↔「cling to the idea of」；「company’s practices」↔「corporate strategy」；「according」↔「line with」；「employees」↔「people」 ### 39. According to Nicholson, these senior executives are engaging in 39_____ According to Nicholson, these senior executives are engaging in 39_____ - business leaders - MBA graduates - promotion structures - reward strategy - magic formula - strategic planning **答案**：back-to-front thinking 原文定位：But that is back-to-front thinking according to Nicholson ### 40. and we should not try to change 40_____ but instead we should change our business structures. and we should not try to change 40_____ but instead we should change our business structures. - business leaders - MBA graduates - promotion structures - reward strategy - magic formula - strategic planning **答案**：human nature 原文定位：we should be reinventing our business structures, not our fundamental human nature 同义替换：「change」↔「reinventing」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。