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英语六级阅读理解精炼第03篇，练习关于手势
“V”的阅读理解，含有六级阅读练习题，参考译文，答案等内容。供正在准备英语六级考试的学习者参考学习。
3. The“V”Sign
The palm-forward“V”sign, formed by raising and spreading the first two
fingers1 ,has three different meanings in American culture.The most popular
meaning of the“V”sign was invented in 1941 by a Belgian, Victor De Lavalaye.
Wanting a symbol for resistance to the Nazi2 occupation, he came up with the
single letter“V”, which stood not only for his own first name3, but also for
English victory, Flemish virijheid, and French victoire. The symbolism of the
sign spread very quickly, and Winston Churchill4 used it constantly in public
appearance. Thus throughout the 1940 s and 1950 s, the gesture meant
simply“victory”.The second meaning came in the 1960 s. Because of its military
implication, Americanantiwar protestors used the sign sarcastically against the
arms, so that it became known as the“ peace sign”. In the 1970s, the“V”sign ,
which had lost its military implication, was a common greeting among freedom
lovers, acid heads5, political radicals, and ultimately, young people in
general. So by about the middle of the 1970s, it ceased to give clue to the
user’s philosophy. The third meaning is the oldest and least common. American
children jokingly put “V”, which resembles“ horns”, behind friends’heads in
group snapshots. The are unknowingly reproducing something that southern
Europeans would find highly offensive. This mischief, called“horns of the
Devil”, is a variant of the European“ horns”gesture, which is obscene. Here
the“V”sign means“Your wife has been cheating on you ”or, when placed behind
another’s head,“His wife has been cheating on him”. In the United States, the
gesture is typically given with the palm facing the viewer. The British use both
this version and an older, palm-backward version; the latter is obscene in
American culture, and corresponds to the American“ finger”6 . Churchill got some
surprised stares in 1941 when, evidently unaware of the vulgar usage, he gave
the palm-backward“V”to British troops. In England today you could have to be a
social hermit not to understand the distinction. Astonishingly, however,
Margaret Thatcher7 repeated Churchill’s error after her victory in the 1979
election.
阅读自测
Ⅰ. Fill in the blanks with proper words :
American children______________________ ( 开玩笑地) put“V”,
which______________________ ( 类似)“ horns”,
behind friends’heads in group ______________________( 快照) . They
are______________________ ( 无意中地) reproducing
something that southern Europeans would find highly______________________ (
无礼的) .
This mischief, called“ horns of the Devil”, is a ______________________(
变体) of the European
“ horns”gesture, which is______________________ ( 淫秽的) .
Ⅱ. Exp lain the fo llowing phras es in bold typ e in yo ur own words :
1. If you kee p yo ur fin ge rs crossed , you ______________________.
2. If you are all fin ge rs a nd thumbs , you ______________________ .
3. If you ha ve a finger in every pie , you______________________ .
4. If you thumb a lift, you______________________.
参考答案
1. jokingly / resembles / snapshots / unknowingly / offensive / variant /
obscene
2. 1. hope that something will happen the way you want2. are clumsy or
awkward with your hands
3. are involved in everything that is happening
4. try to get a free ride in a motor vehicle ; hitchhike |
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发表于 2018-1-16 20:51:08