英语阅读理解100篇(中级篇)-2
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Passage Two (The Tourist Trade Contributes Absolutely Nothing to Increasing Understanding between Nations)

       The tourist trade is booming. With all this coming and going, you’d expect greater understanding to develop between the nations of the world. Not a bit of it! Superb systems of communication by air, sea and land make it possible for us to visit each other’s countries at a moderate cost. What was once the ‘grand tour’, reserved for only the very rich, is now within everybody’s grasp? The package tour and chartered flights are not to be sneered1 at. Modern travelers enjoy a level of comfort which the lords and ladies on grand tours in the old days couldn’t have dreamed of. But what’s the sense of this mass exchange of populations if the nations of the world remain basically ignorant of each other?

       Many tourist organizations are directly responsible for this state of affairs. They deliberately2 set out to protect their clients from too much contact with the local population. The modern tourist leads a cosseted3, sheltered life. He lives at international hotels, where he eats his international food and sips4 his international drink while he gazes at the natives from a distance. Conducted tours to places of interest are carefully censored5. The tourist is allowed to see only what the organizers want him to see and no more. A strict schedule makes it impossible for the tourist to wander off on his own; and anyway, language is always a barrier, so he is only too happy to be protected in this way. At its very worst, this leads to a new and hideous6 kind of colonization7. The summer quarters of the inhabitants of the cite universitaire: are temporarily reestablished on the island of Corfu. Blackpool is recreated at Torremolinos where the traveler goes not to eat paella, but fish and chips.

       The sad thing about this situation is that it leads to the persistence8 of national stereotypes9. We don’t see the people of other nations as they really are, but as we have been brought up to believe they are. You can test this for yourself. Take five nationalities, say, French, German, English, American and Italian. Now in your mind, match them with these five adjectives: musical, amorous10, cold, pedantic11, native. Far from providing us with any insight into the national characteristics of the peoples just mentioned, these adjectives actually act as barriers. So when you set out on your travels, the only characteristics you notice are those which confirm your preconceptions. You come away with the highly unoriginal and inaccurate12 impression that, say, ‘Anglo-Saxons are hypocrites’ of that ‘Latin peoples shout a lot’. You only have to make a few foreign friends to understand how absurd and harmful national stereotypes are. But how can you make foreign friends when the tourist trade does its best to prevent you?

       Carried to an extreme, stereotypes can be positively13 dangerous. Wild generalizations14 stir up racial hatred15 and blind us to the basic fact—how trite16 it sounds! – That all people are human. We are all similar to each other and at the same time all unique.

 

1.       The best title for this passage is
[A] tourism contributes nothing to increasing understanding between nations.
[B] Tourism is tiresome17.
[C] Conducted tour is dull.
[D] tourism really does something to one’s country.

2.       What is the author’s attitude toward tourism?
[A] apprehensive18.
[B] negative.
[C] critical.
[D] appreciative19.

3.       Which word in the following is the best to summarize Latin people shout a lot?
[A] silent.
[B] noisy.
[C] lively.
[D] active.

4.       The purpose of the author’s criticism is to point out
[A] conducted tour is disappointing.
[B] the way of touring should be changed.
[C] when traveling, you notice characteristics which confirm preconception.
[D] national stereotypes should be changed.

5.       What is ‘grand tour’ now?
[A] moderate cost.
[B] local sight-seeing is investigated by the tourist organization.
[C] people enjoy the first-rate comforts.
[D] everybody can enjoy the ‘grand tour’.

 

Vocabulary

1.       superb              卓越的,杰出的,第一流的

2.       moderate          中庸的,中等的,适度的

3.       grand tour        大旅行,指旧时英国富家子弟教育中,到欧洲大陆观光的旅行,为学业必经阶段。

4.       package tour        由旅行社代办而费用与路线、日程固定的假日旅游。也可用package holiday

5.       chartered flight 包机航班

6.       set out to do sth. = begin a job with a particular aim   开始做某事,决心/打算做……

7.       cosset              宠爱,溺爱,纵容

8.       conducted tour = guided tour        有人指导/引到下的参观,有导游的旅游           

9.       censor              检查

10.   wander off        离开原处/正道,离群,漫步,漫游

11.   quarters            住处,营

12.   paella               西班牙什锦饭

13.   chip                 炸马铃薯条(土豆条)

14.   amorous           多情的,色情的

15.   pedantic           学究式的,卖弄学问的

16.   generalization      归纳,概括

17.   stir up              惹起,煽动,挑起

18.   trite                  陈腐的,老一套的

 

难句译注

1.       What was once the ‘grand tour’, reserved for only the very rich, is now within everybody’s grasp.
【结构简析】within sb.’s grasp.某人理解/了解,为某人所能抓到的。
【参考译文】一度只有最富有者专享的“大旅行”现在人人都可获得。

2.       The package tour and chartered flights are not to be sneered at.
【参考译文】旅行社包办的旅游,包机航班决不会遭人耻笑。

3.       They deliberately set out to protect their clients from too much contact with the local population.
【参考译文】旅行社有意使他们的谷底和当地居民少接触。

4.       The modern tourist heads a cosseted sheltered life.
【参考译文】现代旅行者过的使爱护有加与世隔绝的生活。

5.       Conducted tours to places of interest are carefully censored.
【参考译文】有人指导下参观一些静电收到组织者――旅行社仔细的检查核准。

6.       A strict schedule makes it impossible for the tourist to wander off on his own; and anyway, language is always barrier, so he is only too happy to be protected in this way.
【结构简析】only too + 形容词/分词 = very非常。
【参考译文】严格致密的计划值得旅行者不可能自己一个人到处闲逛;再说,至少语言总是个障碍,所以他对这样保护非常高兴。

7.       At its very worst, this leads to a new and hideous kind of colonization.
【结构简析】at one’s worst 在情况最坏的时候。
【参考译文】最糟的时候,这种保护会导致形成一种新型而又可怕的殖民现象。

8.       Carried to an extreme, stereotypes can be positively dangerous.
【结构简析】carried to an extreme (to an excess )如果做得过分。
【参考译文】如果走向极端,模式化的想法会非常危险。

9.       Wild generalizations stir up racial hatred and blind us to the basic fact.
【参考译文】野蛮(乱七八糟)的概括/归纳会激起种族仇恨,使我们对这基本事实视而不见。

 

写作方法与文章大意

       文章主要采用因果写法。虽然旅游业发展,人们可享受以前只有最富有者享受的大旅游,但由于旅行社种种限制/呵护及其它,使旅游者难以和当地居民接触。陈旧的固定的想――对民族的模式化想法,只有通过接触才能接触模式。而旅行社的种种都使人相互难以理解。

 

答案详解

1.       A 旅游对增进民族了解毫无建树。第二段开始点出,许多旅游组织直接负责旅游事宜,他们有意识不让旅游者接触当地居民,让他们过着一种关怀备至又与世隔绝的生活。住的是国际饭店,吃的是国际食品,喝的是国际饮料,在原处观看当地居民。严格有序的计划使旅游者难以自己一人闲逛,语言的障碍,又使他们乐意接受保护。第三段涉及坚持民族模式化――老一套的想法,所以一开始旅游,你见到的民族特性就只是证实了你自己设想的基本事实――所有人民都是人类。只有交朋友才能知道民族模式是多么荒谬、有害,可是旅行社竭力制止,你又怎么能交上外国朋友呢?这一切说明A项对。
B.
旅游很累。C.导游观光很单调乏味。D.旅游确实对国家有贡献。

2.       C 批评。

3.       B 吵吵闹闹的。

4.       B 旅游的方式应改变。整篇文章(除第一段外)都环绕旅游方式不理想来进行批评。第二段集中在导游观光使旅游者难以和当地人民接触。第三段,见到的只是证实了旅游者本人事先形成的思想/先入之见,旅游根本达不到了解对方的目的。第四段讲了民族固定模式(先入之见的模式)的可怕后果。要使人懂得所有的人们都是人类,彼此相似,又各具特点,就得改变旅游的方式。
A.
导游观光令人失望。C.旅游时,你见到的 特性证实了你的先入之见。D.民族模式应当改变。这三条都是批评的具体内容。

5.       D 人人都能享受大旅游。大旅行是专指英国富家子弟上学中的一门课程-到欧洲大陆观光。不是人人都能享受。这里用grand tour表示人人都能享受类似grand tour的一切,甚至超过,如第一段指出:现代旅游者享受的舒适设施,达到了大旅行中老爷、小姐们做梦都没有想到的水平。海陆空高级交流联络通讯系统,使人们有可能钱花得不多就能访问、观光别的国家。所以说,曾是有钱人专享的大旅行,普通人也能领略。“grand tour”有引号,表明作为比喻。
A.
费用不高。文内是费用合适、中等、恰当。B.当地观光受组织审查。C.人们喜欢一流舒适设施。



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 sneered 0e3b5b35e54fb2ad006040792a867d9f     
讥笑,冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
  • It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。
2 deliberately Gulzvq     
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地
参考例句:
  • The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
  • They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。
3 cosseted bc2f17d339ff4a3005c98e64cb74cbdb     
v.宠爱,娇养,纵容( cosset的过去式 )
参考例句:
  • Our kind of travel is definitely not suitable for people who expect to be cosseted. 我们的这种旅行绝对不适合那些想要受到百般呵护的人。 来自辞典例句
  • We are, by astronomical standards, a pampered, cosseted, cherished group of creatures. 按照天文标准,我们是一群受宠过头、珍爱有余、呵护备至的受造物。 来自互联网
4 sips 17376ee985672e924e683c143c5a5756     
n.小口喝,一小口的量( sip的名词复数 )v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • You must administer them slowly, allowing the child to swallow between sips. 你应慢慢给药,使小儿在吸吮之间有充分的时间吞咽。 来自辞典例句
  • Emission standards applicable to preexisting stationary sources appear in state implementation plans (SIPs). 在《州实施计划》中出现了固定污染的排放标准。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
5 censored 5660261bf7fc03555e8d0f27b09dc6e5     
受审查的,被删剪的
参考例句:
  • The news reports had been heavily censored . 这些新闻报道已被大幅删剪。
  • The military-backed government has heavily censored the news. 有军方撑腰的政府对新闻进行了严格审查。
6 hideous 65KyC     
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的
参考例句:
  • The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
  • They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗,是丑陋的畜牲。
7 colonization fa0db2e0e94efd7127e1e573e71196df     
殖民地的开拓,殖民,殖民地化; 移殖
参考例句:
  • Colonization took place during the Habsburg dynasty. 开拓殖民地在哈布斯堡王朝就进行过。
  • These countries took part in the colonization of Africa. 这些国家参与非洲殖民地的开发。
8 persistence hSLzh     
n.坚持,持续,存留
参考例句:
  • The persistence of a cough in his daughter puzzled him.他女儿持续的咳嗽把他难住了。
  • He achieved success through dogged persistence.他靠着坚持不懈取得了成功。
9 stereotypes 1ff39410e7d7a101c62ac42c17e0df24     
n.老套,模式化的见解,有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化,使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
  • It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调,我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
10 amorous Menys     
adj.多情的;有关爱情的
参考例句:
  • They exchanged amorous glances and clearly made known their passions.二人眉来眼去,以目传情。
  • She gave him an amorous look.她脉脉含情的看他一眼。
11 pedantic jSLzn     
adj.卖弄学问的;迂腐的
参考例句:
  • He is learned,but neither stuffy nor pedantic.他很博学,但既不妄自尊大也不卖弄学问。
  • Reading in a pedantic way may turn you into a bookworm or a bookcase,and has long been opposed.读死书会变成书呆子,甚至于成为书橱,早有人反对过了。
12 inaccurate D9qx7     
adj.错误的,不正确的,不准确的
参考例句:
  • The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确,而且夸大其词。
  • She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。
13 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实
参考例句:
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
14 generalizations 6a32b82d344d5f1487aee703a39bb639     
一般化( generalization的名词复数 ); 普通化; 归纳; 概论
参考例句:
  • But Pearlson cautions that the findings are simply generalizations. 但是波尔森提醒人们,这些发现是简单的综合资料。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 大脑与疾病
  • They were of great service in correcting my jejune generalizations. 他们纠正了我不成熟的泛泛之论,帮了我大忙。
15 hatred T5Gyg     
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨
参考例句:
  • He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
  • The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。
16 trite Jplyt     
adj.陈腐的
参考例句:
  • The movie is teeming with obvious and trite ideas.这部电影充斥着平铺直叙的陈腐观点。
  • Yesterday,in the restaurant,Lorraine had seemed trite,blurred,worn away.昨天在饭店里,洛兰显得庸俗、堕落、衰老了。
17 tiresome Kgty9     
adj.令人疲劳的,令人厌倦的
参考例句:
  • His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。
  • He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜,令人生厌。
18 apprehensive WNkyw     
adj.担心的,恐惧的,善于领会的
参考例句:
  • She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
  • He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。
19 appreciative 9vDzr     
adj.有鉴赏力的,有眼力的;感激的
参考例句:
  • She was deeply appreciative of your help.她对你的帮助深表感激。
  • We are very appreciative of their support in this respect.我们十分感谢他们在这方面的支持。
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