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发表于 2016-7-28 22:22:35
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Passage Two
Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.
When one looks back upon the fifteen hundred years that are the life span of the English language, he should be able to notice a number of significant truths. The history of our language has always been a history of constant change—at times a slow, almost imperceptible change, at other times a violent collision between two languages. Our language has always been a living growing organism, it has never been static. Another significant truth that emerges from such a study is that language at all times has been the possession not of one class or group but of many. At one extreme it has been the property of the common, ignorant folk, who have used it in the daily business of their living, much as they have used their animals or the kitchen pots and pans. At the other extreme it has been the treasure of those who have respected it as an instrument and a sign of civilization, and who have struggled by writing it down to give it some permanence, order, dignity, and if possible, a little beauty.
As we consider our changing language, we should note here two developments that are of special and immediate importance to us. One is that since the time of the Anglo-Saxons there has been an almost complete reversal of the different devices for showing the relationship of words in a sentence. Anglo-Saxon (old English) was a language of many inflections. Modern English has few inflections. We must now depend largely on word order and function words to convey the meanings that the older language did by means of changes in the forms of words. Function words, you should understand, are words such as prepositions, conjunctions, and a few others that are used primarily to show relationships among other words. A few inflections, however, have survived. And when some word inflections come into conflict with word order, there may be trouble for the users of the language, as we shall see later when we turn our attention to such maters as WHO or WHOM and ME or I. The second fact we must consider is that as language itself changes, our attitudes toward language forms change also. The eighteenth century, for example, produced from various sources a tendency to fix the language into patterns not always set in and grew, until at the present time there is a strong tendency to restudy and re-evaluate language practices in terms of the ways in which people speak and write.
62.In contrast to the earlier linguists, modern linguists tend to .
[A]attempt to continue the standardization of the language
[B]evaluate language practices in terms of current speech rather than standards or proper patterns
[C]be more concerned about the improvement of the language than its analysis or history
[D]be more aware of the rules of the language usage
63.Choose the appropriate meaning for the word “inflection” used in Line 4 of Paragraph 2.
[A]Changes in the forms of words.
[B]Changes in sentence structures.
[C]Changes in spelling rules.
[D]Words that have similar meanings.
64.Which of the following statements is not mentioned in the passage?
[A]It is generally believed that the year 1500 can be set as the beginning of the modern English language.
[B]Some other languages had great influence on the English language at some stages of its development.
[C]The English language has been and still in a state of relatively constant change.
[D]Many classes or groups have contributed to the development of the English language.
65.The author of this passage is probably a(an) .
[A]historian [B]philosopher
[C]anthropologist [D]linguist
66.Which of the following can be best used as the title of the passage?
[A]The history of the English language.
[B]Our changing attitude towards the English language.
[C]Our changing language.
[D]Some characteristics of modern English.
【全文翻译】
当回头来看1500年间英语的发展轨迹时,会发现有许多重要的真理。我们语言的历史是一个不断变化的历史——在一些时间里缓慢得几乎难以察觉,在另一些时间里则是两种语言的激烈碰撞。我们的语言是一个活生生的、日益增长的有机体,从来都不是静止不变的。这样的研究还揭示了另外一个重要的事实:语言从来不属于某个阶级或者群体,它属于大多数的人。一方面,语言属于普通大众。他们在日常生活中使用它,就像使用自己的动物或者厨房的锅碗瓢盆一样。另一方面,在把语言视为一种工具和文明标志的人看来,语言是宝藏。他们努力地将其写下来,使其变得永恒、有序、端庄、漂亮(如果可能的话)。
当考虑语言的变化时,我们应该注意它的两种发展方向,这对我们有着特殊而直接的重要性。第一,自从撒盎格鲁——撒克逊时代以来,表达句中单词之间关系的方法几乎发生了彻底的转变。盎格鲁——撒克逊英语(古英语)是一种变形较多的语言,而现代英语则很少变形。现在,我们主要依靠词序和功能词语来表达意义,而古英语则是通过改变单词的形式来表达意义。你应该知道,功能词语是诸如介词、连词以及一些其他的词,其基本用法是表示与其他词语之间的关系。然而,有一些词形变化还是被保留了下来。当一些词形变化与词序发生冲突时,使用者可能会遇到麻烦。我们将会在后面集中精力注意这样的情况,诸如:WHO和WHOM,ME和I。我们必须考虑的第二个事实是,随着语言本身的变化,我们对于语言形式的态度也会变化。例如,由于多方面的原因,十八世纪产生了一种倾向:运用不太流行的固定语言模式来评价语言;但是,现在,根据人们说和写的方式来重新研究和评估语言实践成为了一种主流。
【答案解析】
62.【解析】[B]细节题。本文主要讲述英语演变过程的一些特点,指出了古英语与现代英语的不同,以及语言学家对待语言形式的态度的变化。根据题干回原文中定位,阅读文章时注意首末段及各段开头的句子,这往往都是考点所在。本题问的正是现代语言学家与早期语言学家不同的倾向。根据文章末尾The eighteenth century, for example, produced from various sources a tendency to fix the language into patterns not always set in and grew, until at the present time there is a strong tendency to restudy and re-evaluate language practices in terms of the ways in which people speak and write. 现代语言学家倾向于根据人们说和写的方式评价语言实践,而不是像早期的语言学家根据一定的模式评价语言。选项B符合文章的意思。
63.【解析】[A]词汇题。要根据上下文的信息判断单词的意思。文章在第二段中间再次提到inflection时说,A few inflections, however, have survived. 后面文章又举了WHO/WHOM和ME/I为例说明inflection,这是一篇关于语言学的文章,从例子可以看出inflection的意思应该是“单词的变形”,选项A正确。
64.【解析】[A]细节题。根据文章的内容,选项A“普遍认为1500年是现代英语的起点”在文章中没有提及,故为正确答案。文章第二句说The history of our language has always been a history of constant change—at times a slow, almost imperceptible change, at other times a violent collision between two languages. 我们语言的历史是一个不断变化的历史——在一些时间里缓慢得几乎难以察觉,在另一些时间里则是两种语言的激烈碰撞。由此可以推断一些其他的语言对英语的发展有重大影响,选项B符合文章的意思。
65.【解析】[D]推断题。此题考查考生的推测能力。文章讲述的是英国语言演进的具体细节,最适当的答案应该是D。作者很可能是一位语言学家。A答案(历史学家)和C答案(人类学家)也有点迷惑性。B答案(哲学家)是最不符合的。
66.【解析】[C]主旨题。本文从各个方面谈及英语作为一种语言的发展变化,但并不是讲述英语的历史。所以选项A不对,选项C作为文章的题目最为贴切。选项B只是文章阐述的一个方面,不够全面。文章是在谈到英语的不断变化的时候谈到了现代英语的一些特点,所以选项D也失之于片面。
翻译
Part ⅥTranslation(5 minutes)
Direction: Complete the sentences on Answer Sheet 2 by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets.
87.The author of the report (对医院的问题非常了解)because he has been working there for many years.
88.The population of elderly people is increasing rapidly because people are living longer than before. (发达国家尤为如此).
89.On hearing the news, I (忍不住笑起来)and spread it among the class.
90.By the time you get to New York, I (已经动身去) London.
91.The sports meet originally due to be held last Friday (最终因天气不好而取消了).
答案
87. is well acquainted with the problems in the hospital
88. This is especially true of developed countries
89. could not help laughing
90. shall have left for
91. was finally called off/cancelled because of the bad weather
2010年6月大学英语四级考试全真预测(五) 节选自《大学英语四级考试全真预测卷》(赠mp3)
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