考研英語歷年真題閱讀理解精讀筆記(二十)

字號:

When I decided to quit my full time employment it never occurred to me that I might become a part of a new international trend.A lateral move that hurt my pride and blocked my professional progress prompted me to abandon my relatively high profile career although, in the manner of a disgraced government minister, I covered my exit by claiming "I wanted to spend more time with my family."
    Curiously, some two and a half years and two novels later, my experiment in what the Americans term "downshifting" has turned my tired excuse into an absolute reality.I have been transformed from a passionate advocate of the philosophy of " have it all ", preached by Linda Kelsey for the past seven years in the pages of She magazine, into a woman who is happy to settle for a bit of everything.
    I have discovered, as perhaps Kelsey will after her much publicized resignation from the editorship of She after a build up of stress, that abandoning the doctrine of "juggling your life", and making the alternative move into "downshifting" brings with it far greater rewards than financial success and social status.Nothing could persuade me to return to the kind of life Kelsey used to advocate and I once enjoyed: 12 hour working days, pressured deadlines, the fearful strain of office politics and the limitations of being a parent on "quality time."
    In America, the move away from juggling to a simpler, less materialistic lifestyle is a wellestablished trend.Downshifting-also known in America as "voluntary simplicity"-has, ironically, even bred a new area of what might be termed anti consumerism.There are a number of bestselling downshifting self help books for people who want to simplify their lives;there are newsletters, such as The Tightwad Gazette, that give hundreds of thousands of Americans useful tips on anything from recycling their cling film to making their own soap;there are even support groups for those who want to achieve the mid 90s equivalent of dropping out.
    While in America the trend started as a reaction to the economic decline-after the mass redundancies caused by downsizing in the late 80s-and is still linked to the politics of thrift, in Britain, at least among the middle class downshifters of my acquaintance, we have different reasons for seeking to simplify our lives.
    For the women of my generation who were urged to keep juggling through the 80s, downshifting in the mid 90s is not so much a search for the mythical good life-growing your own organic vegetables, and risking turning into one-as a personal recognition of your limitations.
     67. Which of the following is true according to paragraph 1
    [A] Full time employment is a new international trend.
    [B] The writer was compelled by circumstances to leave her job.
    [C] "A lateral move" means stepping out of full time employment.
    [D] The writer was only too eager to spend more time with her family.
     68. The writer's experiment shows that downshifting .
    [A] enables her to realize her dream
    [B] helps her mold a new philosophy of life
    [C] prompts her to abandon her high social status
    [D] leads her to accept the doctrine of She magazine
     69. "Juggling one's life" probably means living a life characterized by .
    [A] non materialistic lifestyle
    [B] a bit of everything
    [C] extreme stress
    [D] anti consumerism
     70. According to the passage, downshifting emerged in the US as a result of .
    [A] the quick pace of modern life
    [B] man's adventurous spirit
    [C] man's search for mythical experiences
    [D] the economic situation
    abandon4v.①拋棄;②放棄;③放縱,放任
    absolute2a.絕對的,完全的
    achieve12v.①完成,實現(xiàn);②達(dá)到,達(dá)成,獲得
    acquaintance2n.熟人,相識
    alternative1a.兩者挑一的;n.可供選擇的事物,替換物,選擇對象
    breed1v.①(使)繁殖,生殖;②產(chǎn)生,引起;③教養(yǎng),撫養(yǎng),飼養(yǎng);n.品種,種類
    career11n.①生涯,經(jīng)歷;②專業(yè),職業(yè)
    cause28n.①原因,理由;②事業(yè),事件,奮斗目標(biāo);v.使產(chǎn)生,引起
    characterize6v.①表示...的特性;②描述...的特性
    circumstance3n.①[pl.]情況,形勢,環(huán)境;②經(jīng)濟(jì)情形,境況
    claim12v.①要求;②聲稱,主張;③索賠;n.①要求;②主張,斷言;③索賠;④權(quán)利,要求權(quán),所有權(quán)
    cling2v.①(to)粘住,依附;②(to)堅持;③(clingfilm)保鮮膜
    compel2v.強(qiáng)迫,迫使
    deadline2n.最后期限
    decline14v./n.①下傾,下降,下垂,衰落;②斜面,傾斜;v.拒絕,謝絕
    disgrace1n.失寵,恥辱;v.①使失寵;②玷辱,使蒙羞
    doctrine1n.教義,教條,主義
    economic23a.經(jīng)濟(jì)(上)的,經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)的
    emerge9v.浮現(xiàn),出現(xiàn)
    employment7n.①雇傭;②使用;③工作,職業(yè)
    enable8v.使能夠,使成為可能
    equivalent3a.(to)相等的,等價的,等值的;n.相等物,等價物,等值物
    establish10v.①建立,設(shè)立;②安置,使定居;③確定,證實
    exit1n.①出口,通道;②退場,退出
    experience18n.經(jīng)驗,經(jīng)歷;v.體驗,經(jīng)歷
    experiment11n.試驗;v.(on)做實驗
    extreme4a.①末端的,盡頭的;②極度的,極端的;n.①極端;②程度;③極度(狀態(tài))
    fearful1a.可怕的
    financial11a.財政的,金融的
    lateral1n.①側(cè)面的,旁邊的;②橫向的,平級的
    lead21v.①領(lǐng)導(dǎo),引導(dǎo);②,占首位;③(to)通向,導(dǎo)致,引起;④經(jīng)歷,過(生活);n.帶領(lǐng),引導(dǎo);n.鉛
    limitation2n.限制,局限性
    link9v.連接,聯(lián)系;n.環(huán)節(jié),鏈環(huán)
    manner7n.①方式,方法;②態(tài)度,舉止;③[pl.]風(fēng)度,禮貌;④規(guī)矩;⑤風(fēng)俗
    means32n.方法,手段
    mold2n.①模子,鑄型;②霉菌;v.形成,成形
    novel2n.(長篇)小說;a.新奇的,新穎的
    organic3a.①器官的;②有機(jī)的;③有機(jī)體的
    pace3n.步,步伐;v.踱步
    philosophy2n.哲學(xué),人生觀
    politics5n.①政治,政治學(xué);②政綱,政見
    preach2v.①宣講(教義),布道;②竭力鼓吹,宣傳;③講道,說教
    pressure6n.①壓(力);②強(qiáng)制,壓迫,壓強(qiáng);v.強(qiáng)制,迫使
    professional15a.職業(yè)的,專業(yè)的,專門的;n.專家,專業(yè)人員
    profile1n.①側(cè)面(像);②輪廓,外形;③人物簡介;④態(tài)度,姿態(tài)
    prompt2a.敏捷的,迅速的,即刻的;v.激起,促進(jìn),推動
    quit2v.①離開,退出;②停止,放棄,辭職
    reality10n.①現(xiàn)實,實際;②真實
    reason26n.①理由,原因;②理性,理智;v.①推論,推理;②說服,評理;③討論,辯論
    recognition1n.①認(rèn)出,辨認(rèn);②承認(rèn)
    recycle1v.使再循環(huán),反復(fù)應(yīng)用;n.再循環(huán),再生,重復(fù)利用
    result37n.結(jié)果,成果,成績;v.①(in)導(dǎo)致,結(jié)果是;②(from)起因于,因...而造成
    reward3n.(for)報酬,賞金,獎賞;v.①(for)酬勞,獎賞;②酬謝,報答,獎酬
    risk14v.冒...的危險;n.風(fēng)險,危險
    simplicity2n.①簡單,簡易;②樸素;③直率,單純
    simplify2v.簡化,使單純
    social38a.①社會的;②社交的,交際的;n.社交活動
    status5n.①地位,身份;②情形,狀況
    strain1n.①負(fù)擔(dān);②緊張;v.①扭傷;②拉緊
    stress9n.①壓力,應(yīng)力;②重音;v.強(qiáng)調(diào),著重
    thrift1n.節(jié)儉,節(jié)約
    transform5v.①改變,變換;②變壓;③轉(zhuǎn)化;④改造
    trend12n.傾向,趨勢;v.伸向,傾向
    urge3v.①催促,力勸;②強(qiáng)烈希望;③鼓勵,促進(jìn);n.強(qiáng)烈欲望,迫切要求
    voluntary1a.自愿的,志愿的
    writer10n.作者,作家
    according47ad.依照,根據(jù)
    adventurous1a.喜歡冒險的,敢做敢為的
    advocate13n.提倡者,鼓吹者;v.提倡,鼓吹
    bestselling1a.暢銷的
    consumerism1n.消費主義
    downshift5v.①(汽車等)調(diào)低速檔;②(引申義)降低生活節(jié)奏
    downshifter1n.過儉樸生活的人,放慢生活節(jié)奏的人
    downsize2vt.縮小尺寸,減小規(guī)模
    editorship1n.編輯或主筆地位,編輯
    ironically1ad.說反話地,諷刺地
    juggle3v.①玩雜耍;②盡力同時應(yīng)付(兩種以上工作或活動)
    lifestyle3n.生活方式
    materialistic1a.唯物論的,唯物主義的
    mythical1a.神話的,虛構(gòu)的
    newsletter2n.業(yè)務(wù)通訊
    passionate1a.熱情的,激昂的
    publicize1v.宣揚(yáng)
    reaction4n.反應(yīng),反作用
    redundancy2n.冗余,過剩
    relatively4ad.相關(guān)地
    resignation1n.辭職,放棄
    難句1
    A lateral move that hurt my pride and blocked my professional progress prompted me to abandon my relatively high profile career although, in the manner of a disgraced government minister, I covered my exit by claiming "I wanted to spend more time with my family."
    [結(jié)構(gòu)分析]
    1. 本句句子主干是:A lateral move ... prompted me to ...;
    2. move后面是that引導(dǎo)的定語從句,修飾a lateral move,that在從句作主語;
    3. 第一個逗號后面的是狀語成分,兩個逗號之間的部分是插入語;
    [本句難點]從句結(jié)構(gòu)復(fù)雜,包含定語從句和長狀語成分,且包含插入語;
    [方法對策]首先找出主句和從句的主干結(jié)構(gòu),然后再分析其他結(jié)構(gòu)成分;
    [例句精譯]一次平級的人事調(diào)動傷了我的自尊心,并阻斷了我的事業(yè)發(fā)展,這促使我放棄自己地位較高的職業(yè),當(dāng)然,就像面子掃盡的政府部長那樣,我也掩飾說"我想多陪陪家人"。
    難句2
    I have been transformed from a passionate advocate of the philosophy of " have it all ", preached by Linda Kelsey for the past seven years in the pages of She magazine, into a woman who is happy to settle for a bit of everything.
    [結(jié)構(gòu)分析]
    1. 本句主干結(jié)構(gòu)是:I have been transformed from a passionate advocate ... into a woman...;
    2. 兩個逗號之間的部分補(bǔ)充說明the philosophy of " have it all ",可以看作是插入語;
    3. woman后面的who引導(dǎo)定語從句,修飾woman,who在從句中作主語;
    [本句難點]句子主干包含一個transform from ... into ... 的結(jié)構(gòu),并且本句還包含插入語和定語從句;
    [方法對策]首先找出主句的主干結(jié)構(gòu),找出from ... into ... 結(jié)構(gòu),再分析其他成分;
    [例句精譯]我現(xiàn)在已變成了很容易心滿意足的女人,而以前我卻曾是"擁有一切,各方面都要爭強(qiáng)"這一哲學(xué)的狂熱擁護(hù)者。(該哲學(xué)是林達(dá)·凱爾茜女士過去七年中在《她》這本雜志里拼命鼓吹的。)
    難句3
    I have discovered, as perhaps Kelsey will after her much publicized resignation from the editorship of She after a build up of stress, that abandoning the doctrine of "juggling your life", and making the alternative move into "downshifting" brings with it far greater rewards than financial success and social status.
    [結(jié)構(gòu)分析]
    1. 本句主干結(jié)構(gòu)是:I have discovered ... + that引導(dǎo)的賓語從句;
    2. as引導(dǎo)的句子是伴隨狀語,可以看作是插入語;
    3. 在that引導(dǎo)的賓語從句中,主語是兩個動名詞短語:abandoning ... and making ...,謂語是brings;
    [本句難點]主要是句子結(jié)構(gòu)復(fù)雜;
    [方法對策]首先找出主句主干,然后分析賓語從句以及其他修飾成分;
    [例句精譯]我已經(jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)(由于壓力過大,凱爾茜已多次公開宣稱要辭去《她》雜志編輯的職務(wù),在這之后她也許會同樣發(fā)現(xiàn)):放棄"忙忙碌碌"的生活哲學(xué),轉(zhuǎn)而過一種"放慢生活節(jié)奏"的生活所帶來的回報,比經(jīng)濟(jì)成功和社會地位更有價值。
    難句4
    Downshifting-also known in America as "voluntary simplicity"-has, ironically, even bred a new area of what might be termed anti consumerism.
    [結(jié)構(gòu)分析]
    1. 本句主干結(jié)構(gòu)是:Downshifting ... has ... bred a new area...;
    2. 兩個破折號之間的部分是插入語,是對downshifting的進(jìn)一步說明;
    [本句難點]插入語的影響;部分生詞的影響;
    [方法對策]downshifting:本來指開車時減檔減速,這里比喻指放慢生活節(jié)奏;anti-consumerism:反消費主義;
    [例句精譯]具有諷刺意味的是,"放慢生活節(jié)奏"(在美國也稱"自愿簡單化")甚至孕育了一個嶄新的、可稱之為反消費主義的生活方式。
    難句5
    For the women of my generation who were urged to keep juggling through the 80s, downshifting in the mid 90s is not so much a search for the mythical good life-growing your own organic vegetables, and risking turning into one-as a personal recognition of your limitations.
    [結(jié)構(gòu)分析]
    1. 本句主干結(jié)構(gòu)為:... downshifting ... is not ... ;
    2. 第一個逗號之前為狀語成分,其中包含一個who引導(dǎo)的定語從句修飾the women of my generation;
    3. 兩個破折號之間是對the mythical good life的進(jìn)一步說明,也是插入語;
    4.本句包含一個詞組結(jié)構(gòu):not so much A as B:與其說是A,不如說是B;
    [本句難點]句子結(jié)構(gòu)和從句關(guān)系都復(fù)雜;
    [方法對策]首先找出句子的主干結(jié)構(gòu),然后再分析其他成分,注意其中的詞組結(jié)構(gòu):not so much ... as ... 的用法;
    [例句精譯]對我們這一代女性來說,整個80年代我們曾被迫忙碌地生活,90年代中期的簡化生活與其說是尋求神話般的好生活--自己種有機(jī)蔬菜并試圖把自己也變成這樣--倒不如說我們都認(rèn)識了自身的局限。
    67. [答案] B
    [解析]在美國這個競爭達(dá)到白熱化的社會中,每個人都被迫為了生存而忙忙碌碌。作者無意中放慢了生活節(jié)奏,就像開車人換了"低檔",卻發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個像陶淵明講的"采菊東籬下,悠然見南山"那樣的"世外桃源"。A.全職工作是一種新的"國際潮流"嗎?文章沒講,倒是辭職成了"國際潮流"。C.作者辭職是想"多陪陪家人"嗎?不,這只是她辭職的借口,真正原因是調(diào)動但卻沒有升級,既然"平級調(diào)動",那干嘛要調(diào)呢,太沒有面子了吧?!所以選B。至于C."平級調(diào)動"就意味著要辭職嗎?那不一定,平級調(diào)動不一定要辭職。所以,照抄原文的,小心是陷阱!
    68.[答案] B
    [解析]D的觀點與文章相矛盾,C不與生活節(jié)奏的"換低檔"成因果關(guān)系。至于A則沒提:辭職和放慢生活節(jié)奏一開始并不是為了"使她能夠?qū)崿F(xiàn)自己的夢想"而是迫于形勢。反而是辭職后嘗到了甜頭,使她對生活重新有了看法,所以選B。
    69.[答案] C
    [解析]詞匯題,從第三段看上、下文可知"juggling one's life"是凱爾茜所宣揚(yáng)的"doctrine",并且與生活的"down shifting"相反,所以"juggling one's life"是指那種:"每天12個小時的工作日,壓得人喘不過氣來的最后期限......"。與A、B、D的意思都相矛盾,故選C。
    70.[答案] D
    [解析]問題:"down shifting"在美國是因何引起的?原文講"在美國",它是由"經(jīng)濟(jì)衰落"引起的(沒有工作,上不了班,只好放慢節(jié)奏,讓生活"換低檔"),而在英國則不同,是人們的一種追求。至于A、B、C,人們不僅不會"換低檔",反而可能更緊張地工作"換高檔"。
    當(dāng)我決定辭去自己的全職工作時決沒有想到,自己竟成了一種新的國際性潮流的一分子。一次平級的人事調(diào)動傷了我的自尊心,并阻斷了我的事業(yè)發(fā)展,這促使我放棄自己地位較高的職業(yè),當(dāng)然,就像面子掃盡的政府部長那樣,我也掩飾說"我想多陪陪家人"。
    奇怪的是,大約兩年半的時間我寫完兩部小說后,我這個被美國人稱為"換低檔"的試驗,卻使我老掉牙的借口變成了現(xiàn)實。我現(xiàn)在已變成了很容易心滿意足的女人,而以前我卻曾是"擁有一切,各方面都要爭強(qiáng)"這一哲學(xué)的狂熱擁護(hù)者。(該哲學(xué)是林達(dá)·凱爾茜女士過去七年中在《她》這本雜志里拼命鼓吹的。)
    我已經(jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)(由于壓力過大,凱爾茜已多次公開宣稱要辭去《她》雜志編輯的職務(wù),在這之后她也許會同樣發(fā)現(xiàn)):放棄"忙忙碌碌"的生活哲學(xué),轉(zhuǎn)而過一種"放慢生活節(jié)奏"的生活所帶來的回報,比經(jīng)濟(jì)成功和社會地位更有價值?,F(xiàn)在什么也說服不了我回到過去那種凱爾茜所宣揚(yáng)的、我也曾自得其樂的生活中去:每天12小時的工作日,壓得人喘不過氣來的最后期限,可怕而緊張的辦公室的爭權(quán)奪利,為人父、母的"時間"的限制。
    在美國,擺脫忙碌,轉(zhuǎn)而過一種簡單、不大物質(zhì)化的生活已成明確趨勢。具有諷刺意味的是,"放慢生活節(jié)奏"(在美國也稱"自愿簡單化")甚至孕育了一個嶄新的、可稱之為反消費主義的生活方式。對于那些想過簡單生活的人來說,有許多很暢銷的幫你輕松生活的自助書籍;有各種簡訊,例如省錢簡報,會給美國人提供成千上萬條有用的點子去做事,從回收保鮮膜到自制肥皂;甚至還有一些互助小組,幫人按90年代中期脫離傳統(tǒng)社會的人的生活方式去生活。
    在美國,這種趨勢一開始是對經(jīng)濟(jì)衰落所做出的一種反應(yīng)(出現(xiàn)于80年代后期縮小經(jīng)濟(jì)規(guī)模導(dǎo)致大規(guī)模裁員之后,目前這種趨勢仍被認(rèn)為與節(jié)儉政治有關(guān)聯(lián)),然而在英國,至少在我所認(rèn)識的中產(chǎn)階級的朋友"換低檔者"之間,生活簡單化的理由卻是不同的。
    對我們這一代女性來說,整個80年代我們曾被迫忙碌地生活,90年代中期的簡化生活與其說是尋求神話般的好生活--自己種有機(jī)蔬菜并試圖把自己也變成這樣--倒不如說我們都認(rèn)識了自身的局限。
    67. 根據(jù)第一段,下面哪項說法正確?
    [A] 全職工作是一種新的國際潮流。
    [B] 作者因環(huán)境被迫辭去工作。
    [C] "平級調(diào)動"意味著要辭去全職工作。
    [D] 作者僅僅是非常想多花一些時間與家人在一起。
    68. 作者的嘗試表明:放慢生活節(jié)奏。
    [A] 使她能夠?qū)崿F(xiàn)自己的夢想
    [B] 幫助她形成了新的人生觀
    [C] 促使她放棄了較高的社會地位
    [D] 導(dǎo)致她接受《她》雜志的觀念
    69. "Juggling one's life"可能指的是過一種具有特征的生活。
    [A] 非實物主義生活方式
    [B] 很容易滿足
    [C] 極度緊張
    [D] 反消費主義
    70. 根據(jù)本文,美國出現(xiàn)放慢生活節(jié)奏的原因是。
    [A] 快節(jié)奏的現(xiàn)代生活
    [B] 人們的冒險精神
    [C] 人們對神話般經(jīng)歷追求
    [D] 經(jīng)濟(jì)形勢