-
PRETCO
考试阅读理解专项训练（
1
）
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
been a history of constant
change
—
at times a slow,
almost imperceptible
change, at other
times a violent collision between two languages.
Our
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.
』①
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
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.
』②
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
D. be more aware of the rules of the
language usage
the appropriate meaning for the word “inflection”
used in line 4 of paragraph 2.
编辑版
word
language
than its analysis or history
A. Changes in the forms of
words.
B.
Changes in sentence structures.
C. Changes in spelling
rules.
D. Words
that have similar meanings.
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.
4.
The author of these paragraphs is probably a(an) .
A. historianB.
philosopher
C.
anthropologistD. linguist
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.
Vocabulary
n.
跨度，范围，一段时间，期间
eptible adj.
感觉不到的，觉察不到的，极细微的
sm n.
生物体，有机体
sion n.
拥有，占有，领土，领地
nt adj.
无知的
n.
人们，民族
ence n.
永久，持久
-Saxons n.
盎格鲁
—
撒克逊语，盎格鲁
—
撒克逊人，地道的英国人
al n.
颠倒，反向，逆转
tion n.
词尾变化
ition n.
前置词，介词
ction n.
联合，关联，连接词
terms of
根据，按照，
用
……
的话，在
……
< br>方
长难句解析
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word
①【解析】
“who”
引导非限制性定语从句，修饰
“the common, ignorant
folk”
。
“much
as”
引导状语从句。
“kitchen pots and
pans”
意为
“
锅碗瓢盆
”
。
【译文】一方面它是那些普通人甚至无知民众的财产，他们每
天都像使唤他们的牲畜和锅碗瓢盆一样用着语言。
②【解析】
此句为一个复合倒装句。
“until”
引导一个并列句，前
一句的主语是
“a
tendency”
，
“to fix the
language into patterns not always set
in and grew”
作
“tendency”
的定语，第二句的主语也是
“a tendency”
，
“to”
后面的句子作
“ten
dency”
的定语，
“in which”
< br>引导的定语从句修饰
“ways”
。
【译文】例如在
18
世纪一种产生于各种
在一个不常使用和不利于
语言发展的模式中，
而到了当今，主流是要反复研究、评价人们说话、写作中的语言实践
。
答案与详解
【短文大意】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。
< br>
1.B
< br>细节题。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。这篇文
章讲的主要是英语语言演变的一些特点，指出了古英语与现代英语的不同，以及语言学家
态度的转变。本题问的正是
现代语言学家与早期语言学家不同的倾向。
< br>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
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。
2.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
inflect
ion
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。
3.A
细节题。
根据文章的内容，
选项
A“
普遍认为
1500<
/p>
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
been a history of
constant change - at times a
们说和写的方式评价语言实践，而不是像
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。
4.D
词汇题。此题考查考生的推测能力和词汇量，文章
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
)
也可以有点迷惑性。
B
答案
(
哲学家
)
是
最
不符合的。
5.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
< br>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。
PRETCO<
/p>
考试阅读理解专项训练（
2
）
编辑版
word
Culture is one of the most challenging
elements of the international marketplace.
『
This system of learned
behavior patterns characteristic of the
members of a
shaped by a set
of dynamic variables: language, religion, values
and attitudes, manners
and customs,
aesthetics, technology, education, and social
institutions.
』① To cope with this
system, an international manager needs both
factual
and interpretive knowledge of
culture. To some extent, the factual knowledge can
be learned; its interpretation comes only through
experience.
The
most complicated problems in dealing with the
cultural environment stem from the fact that one
cannot learn culture
—
one has
to live it.
Two schools of thought
exist in the business world on how to deal with
cultural diversity. One is that business is
business the world around,
following
the model of Pepsi and McDonald’s. In some cases,
globalization is a fact of life; however, cultural
differences ar
e still far from
converging.
The other school proposes that
companies must tailor business approaches to
individual cultures. Setting up policies and
procedures in each
country has been
compared to an organ transplant; the critical
question centers around acceptance or rejection.
The major challenge to the
international manager is to make sure
that rejection is not a result of cultural myopia
or even blindness.
Fortune examined the international
performance of a dozen large companies that earn
20 percent or
overseas. The
internationally successful companies all share an
important quality: patience. They have not
rushed into situations but rather built
their operations carefully by following the most
basic business principles. These principles are to
know your
adversary, know your
audience, and know your customer.
1.
According to the passage,
A. All international managers can learn
culture.
B.
Business diversity is not necessary.
C. Views differ on how to
treat culture in business world.
Ｄ
. Most people
do not know foreign culture well.
2. According to the author,
the model of Pepsi .
Ａ
. is in line with the
theories of the school advocating the business is
business the world around
Ｂ. is different from the model of
McDonald’s
Ｃ
. shows the reverse of
globalization
Ｄ
. has converged cultural
differences
3.
The two schools of thought .
Ａ
. both propose
that companies should tailor business approaches
to individual cultures
Ｂ
. both advocate that
different policies be set up in different
countries
Ｃ
. admit the existence of
cultural diversity in business world
Ｄ
. Both
Ａ
and
Ｂ
4. This article is supposed to be most
useful for those .
A. who are interested in researching
the topic of cultural diversity
B. who have connections to
more than one type of culture
C. who want to travel
abroad
D. who
want to run business on International Scale
5. According to
Fortune, successful international companies .
Ａ
.
earn 20 percent or
Ｂ
. all have the quality of
patience
Ｃ
. will follow the overseas
local cultures
Ｄ
. adopt the policy of
internationalization
Vocabulary
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word
true
overseas
1. dynamic adj.
动态的
2. variable n.
变量
3. aesthetics
n.
美学
4. factual adj.
事实的
5. interpretative adj.
解释的
6. converge v.
聚合
7. transplant
v.
移植
8. myopia n.
近视
9. adversary n.
对手
长难句解析
①
【解析】
此句虽然很长，
但考生只要认清它的主干，
就很容易了解本句的
意思。
这个句子为一个简单句，
主语为：
“this system”，
谓语为“is
shaped”。
【译文】特定社会成员特点构成的行为方式体系不断地被一系列动态变量所左右：如语言、信仰、价值
与态度、礼仪与风俗、
审美、技术、教育及社会体制。
答案与详解
【短文大意】本文主要
作的影响，文
中列举了商界中存在的对于文化多样性的两种观点。
1.
C
推
断题。意为“对在商业中怎样对待文化有着不同意见”。
文化
在商业中是一个很具挑战性的因素。不同的国家与地区
可能会有不同的文化体系。在商业
中，应该怎样对待不同的文化，商业界存在着不同的看法。
2.
Ａ细节题。
< br>意为“……与同意世界商业一体化的派别的主张是一致的”。
< br>Pepsi
采纳的是国际化的商业风格，
这与那些主张<
/p>
国际化的派别的意见是相一致的。
3. C
推断题。意为“承认商业世
界中文化的多元性”。两个派别都承认商业世界中文化的多元性。他们的不同在于，应该对待
不同的文化，应该搞国际化还是对不同的文化采取不同的策略。
4. D
主旨题。由文中的例子可以知道，
是正确答案。
5.
Ｂ
细节题。意为“都具有耐心这一素质”。
定全都接纳海外的当地文化，或是采纳国际化策
略。
PRETCO
考试阅读理解专项
训练（
3
）
研究多种文化形态，而是文化背景对商业运作的影响。所以
D
司
的海外收入都占总收入的
20%
或以上。它们也不一
Among the more colorful characters of Leadville’s golden age were and his second
wife,Elizabeth McCourt,better known as
“Baby Doe”.Their history is fast becoming one of
the legends
of the Old
Austin
school teacher in his first
wife
and two children he left Vermont
by covered wagon in 1855 to homestead in s he did
not find farming to his liking,or
perhaps he was lured by rumors of fortunes to be
made in Colorado
any rate,a few years
later he moved west to the small Colorado mining
camp known as
California Gulch,which he
later renamed Leadville when he became its leading
citizen. “Great deposits
of lead are
sure to be found here.”he said.
As it turned
out,it was silver,not lead,that was to make
Leadville’s fortune and wealth. Tabor knew
little about mining himself,so he
opened a general store,which sold everything from
boots to
salt,flour,and
tobacco.
『
It was his custom
to “grubstake” pro
spective miners,in
other words,to supply
them with food
and supplies,or “grub”, while they looked for
ore,in return for which he would get a
share in the mine if one was
discovered.
』①
He did this for
a number of years,but no one that he aided
ever found anything of value.
Finally one day
in the year 1878,so the story goes,two miners came
in and asked for “grub”. Tabor
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word
had
decided to quit supplying it because he had lost
too much money that were persistent,
however,and Tabor was too busy to argue
with them. “Oh help more time won’t
make
any difference,” He said and went
on selling shoes and hats to other two miners
took
$$17 worth of supplies,in
gave Tabor a one-third interest in
their
picked a barren place on the
mountainside and began to nine days they struck
a rich vein of bought the shares of
the other two men,and so the mine belonged to him
mine,known as the “Pittsburgh Mine,”
made
investment.
Later Tabor
bought the Matchless Mine on another barren
hillside just outside the town for $$117
turned out to be even more fabulous
than the Pittsburgh,yielding $$35 000 worth of
silver per
day at one lle became its
first mayor,and later became lieutenant governor
of
the state.
lle got its name for the following
reasons EXCEPT.
e
citizen
1 300
000 for Tabor in return for his $$17
e great deposits of lead is
expected to be found there
e it could bring good fortune to Tabor
e it was
renamed
word
“grubstake” in paragraph 2 means.
supply miners
with food and supplies
open a general store
do one’s contribution to
the development of the mine
supply miners with food
and supplies and in return get a share in the
mine,if one was
discovered
made his first fortune.
supplying two
prospective miners and getting in return a one-
third interest in the findings
e he was persuaded by the
two miners to quit supplying
buying the shares of the
other
a land
speculator
4.
The underlying reason for Tabor’s life career
is
.
A. purely accidental
B. based on the analysis of
miner’s being very poor and their possibility of
dis
covering profitable
mining site
C. through the help from his second
wife
D. he
planned well and accomplished targets step by step
编辑版
word