Unit5 五年高考练
阅读理解
主题语境:人与社会 难易度:★★ 语篇类型:说明文 建议用时:7
(2018浙江,A)
In 1812, the year Charles Dickens was born there were 66 novels published in Britain. People had been writing novels for a century—most experts date the first novel to Robinson Crusoe in 1719—but nobody wanted to do it professionally. The steam powered printing press was still in its early stages; the literacy(识字)rate in England was under 50%. Many works of fiction appeared without the names of the authors, often with something like “By a lady.” Novels, for the most part, were looked upon as silly, immoral or just plain bad.
In 1870, when Dickens died. the world mourned him as its first professional writer and publisher, famous and beloved, who had led an explosion in both the publication of novels and their readership and whose characters—from Oliver Twist to Tiny Tim—were held up as moral touchstones. Today Dickens’ greatness is unchallenged. Removing him the pantheon(名人堂)of English literature would make about as much sense as the Louvre selling off the Mona Lisa.
How did Dickens get to the top For all the feelings readers attach to stories, literature is a numbers game, and the test of time is extremely difficult to pass. Some 60, 000 novels were published during the Victorian age, from 1837 to 1901; today a casual reader might be able to name a half-dozen of them. It’s partly true that Dickens’ style of writing attracted audiences from all walks of life. It’s partly that his writings rode a wave of social,political and scientific progress. But it’s also that he rewrote the culture of literature and put himself at the center. No one will ever know what mix of talent, ambition, energy and luck made Dickens such a distinguished writer. But as the 200th anniversary of his birth approaches,it is possible—and important for our own culture—to understand how he made himself a lasting one.
词汇积累
1. press n.印刷机;媒体
2. stage n.阶段;时期;舞台
3. immoral adj.小不道德的
4. mourn v.哀悼
5. publication n.出版;发表
6. touchstone n.试金石
7. distinguished adj.著名的;卓越的
8. anniversary n.周年纪念日
9. approach v.接近;临近
10. all walks of life各行各业;各界人士
1. Which of the following best describes British novels in the 18th century
A. They were difficult to understand.
B. They were popular among the rich.
C. They were seen as nearly worthless.
D. They were written mostly by women.
2. Dickens is compared with the Mona Lisa in the text to stress
A. his reputation in France.
B. his interest in modern art.
C. his success in publication.
D. his importance in literature.
3. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text
A. To remember a great writer.
B. To introduce an English novel.
C. To encourage studies on culture.
D. To promote values of the Victorian age.
参考答案:
语篇解读 本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍了狄更斯的伟大成就,他在推动小说的发展以及提高其在英国文学中的地位有着举足轻重的影响。
1.C【解析】细节推理题。根据第一段的 Novels, for the most part were looked upon as silly, immoral or just plain bad.可知小说在很大程度上被认为是愚蠢的、不道德的,或者很糟糕的.因此那时的小说是几乎没有价值的,所以选C。
2.D【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段的 Today Dickens’ greatness is unchallenged. Removing him from the pantheon(名人堂)of English literature would make about as much sense as the louvre selling off the Mona Lisa.可知,本文将狄更斯与蒙娜丽莎进行比较,是为了强调狄更斯在英国文学中的地位很重要,他在英国文学中的地位就如蒙娜丽莎在卢浮宫中的地位一样,所以选D。
3.A【解析】推理判断题。本文第一段介绍了狄更斯写作的时代背景,第二段描述了他在英国文学史上的重要地位,第三段分析了他是如何取得这么高的文学地位的。由此可知,本文的目的是为了纪念一位文学巨匠—狄更斯,所以选A。
长难句分析
原句 In 1870, when Dickens died, the world mourned him as its first professional writer and publisher, famous and beloved, who had led an explosion in both the publication of novels and their readership and whose characters—from Oliver Twist to Tiny Tim—were held up as moral touchstones.
句意 1870年狄更斯去世后,整个世界都哀悼这位著名的且受人喜爱的世界上第一位专业作家和出版商,他带来了小说出版和读者人数的爆炸性的增长,他创作的角色——从 Oliver Twist到 Tiny Tim—都被视为道德的试金石。
分析 本句为主从复合句。who had led an explosion in both the publication of novels and their readership和whose characters-from Oliver Twist to Tiny Tim-were held up as moral touchstones是由and连接的两个并列的定语从句,修饰先行词 writer and publisher; who在前一个定语从句中作主语,whose在后一个定语从句中作定语修饰 characters
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