2015年考研英语阅读理解考前专项训练（18）
发布时间：2012/10/30 22:41:49 来源：城市网学院 编辑：admin
Many people today have an idea of“culture”that developed in Europe during the 18th and early 19th centuries.This notion of culture reflected inequalities within European societies，and between European powers and their colonies around the world.
It identifies“culture”with“civilization”and contrasts it with“nature”。According to this way of thinkin9，one can classify some countries as more civilized than others，and some people as more cultured than others.Some cultural theorists have thus tried to eliminate popular or mass culture from the definition of culture.Theorists such as Matthew Arnold（1822—1888）or the Leavises regard culture as simply the result of“the best that has been thought and said in the world”。Arnold contrasted culture with social chaos or anarchy.On this account，culture links closely with social cultivation：the progressive refinement of human behavior.Arnold consistently uses the word this way：“…culture being a pursuit of our total perfection by means of getting to know，on all the matters which most concern us，the best which has been thought and said in the world.
In practice，culture referred t0 elite goods and activities，and the word cultured described people who knew about，and took part in，these activities.For example，someone who used”culture“in the sense of”cultivation“might argue that classical music is more refined than music produced by working-class people，such as punk rock or the indigenous music traditions of aboriginal peoples of Australia.
People who use the term”culture“in this way tend not to use it in the plural as”cultures“。They do not believe that distinct cultures exist，each with their own internal logic and values；but rather that only a single standard of refinement suffices，against which one can measure all groups.Thus，according to this worldview，people with different customs from those who regard themselves as cultured do not usually count as”having a different culture“。but are classed as”uncultured“。People lackin9”culture“ often seemed more”natural“，and observers often defended（or criticized）elements of high culture for repressin9”human nature“。
From the l8th century onwards，some social critics have accepted this contrast between cultured and uncultured，but have stressed the interpretation of refinement and of sophistication as corrupting and unnatural developments that obscure and distort people's essential nature.
Today most social scientists reject the monadic conception of culture，and the opposition of culture to nature. They recognize non-61ites as just as cultured as 6fites（and non-Westerners as just as civilized）--simply regarding them as just cultured in a different way.Thus social observers contrast the”high“culture of 6rites topopular”or pop culture，meaning goods and activities produced for，and consumed by the Inasses. [452 words]
1. According to the European notion of culture，culture______
A. derives from social inequalities
B. has been the privilege of social 61ites
C. is more refined than nature
D. is as soDhisticated as civilization
2. The definition of culture given by Matthew Arnold is used to illustrate______
A. the notion of culture developed in Europe
B. the difference between culture and social chaos
C. the progressive refinement of human behavior
D. the pursuit of total perfection of human behavior
3. Those who identify culture with cultivation argue that______
A. no more than one culture exists
B. there exist many different cultures
C. working-class people can also be highly refined
D. few cultured people can be found in each society
4. According to some social critics, refinement can be thought of as______
A. social corruption
B. being original, but superficial
C. honest expression of natural life
D. something against human nature
5. Most social scientists today believe that
A. high culture is closely related to pop culture
B. high culture might be produced by the masses
C. the single definition of culture has been out of date
D. pop culture is more likely to be consumed by the masses [NextPage] 难句透析
①For example，someone[-who used“culture”in the sense of“cultivation”]might argue[-that classical music is more refined than music（produced by workin9—class people），such as punk rock or the indigenous music traditions of aboriginal peoples of Australia].
【结构】方括号所标示的“who used…of'cultivation”是“someone”的后置定语从句。方括号所标示的“that classical music…of Australia”是“argue”的宾语从句。圆括号所标示的过去分词短语“produced by working-class people”是“music”的后置定语。
【释义】例如，有人使用“文化”这个词时意思是“文明”，他可能说，古典音乐高雅，胜过劳动人民的音乐，比如，朋克摇滚或澳洲土着民族的本地传统音乐。
②They do not believe[that distinct cultures exist，each with their own internal logic and values]；but rather[that only a single standard of refinement suffices，（against which one can measure all groups）].
【结构】方括号所标示的“that distinct cultures…values”和“that only…groups”是“believe”的两个并列的宾语从句。圆括号所标示的“against which one can measure all groups”是“a single standard of refinement”的后置定语从句。
【释义】他们不相信存在截然不同的文化，每种文化都有其内在的逻辑和价值。他们宁愿相信，只需要一种单一的文化高雅标准就足够了，可以用来衡量所有群体。
③Thus，according to this worldview，people with different customs from those[who regard themselves as cul— tured]do not usually count as“having a different culture”。but are classed as“uncultured”。
【结构】本句主语是“people”，有两个并列的谓语动词“do not…count”和“are classed”。方括号所标示的“who regard themselves as cultured”是“those”的后置定语从句。
【释义】因而，根据这种世界观。那些自认为有教养的人，对于习俗不同的人，通常并不认为他们有“不同的文化”，而把他们看做“没有教养”。
④From the l8th century onwards，some social critics“have accepted this contrast between cultured and uncul— tured.hut 2'have stressed the interpretation 0f refinement and 0f sophistication as corrupting and unnatural de velopments[that obscure and distort people'S essential nature].
【结构】本句主语是”some social critics“，有两个并列的谓语动词”have accepted“和”have stressed“。两个介词短语”0f refinement“和”of sophistication“并列，用做”the interpretation“的后置定语。方括号所标示的”that obscure…essential nature“是”developments“的后置定语从句。
【释义】l8世纪以来，一些社会批评家接受了有教养和没有教养之间的这种差别，但是，他们特别强调要把高雅和完美看做一种腐蚀人的、违背自然规律的演变结果，这种演变掩盖并扭曲了人的本性。
⑤Thus social observers contrast the”high“culture of 61ites to”popular“or pop culture，[meaning goods and activ— ities produced for，and consumed by the masses）].
【结构】方括号所标示的现在分词短语”meaning…the masses“是”popular'or pop culture“的后置定语。两个过去分词短语”produced for“和”consumed by“并列，用做”goods and activities“的后置定语。
【释义】因而，社会观察家把社会精英阶层的”雅“文化与”俗“文化或流行文化区别开来。”俗“文化或流行文化指的是人民大众自己创造、自己享受的产品和活动。
[NextPage] 全文翻译
如今，很多人对18世纪到19世纪初在欧洲发展的“文化”形成了一种看法。这种“文化”的提法反映了欧洲社会内部，欧洲强国与他们世界范围内的殖民地之间的不平等。不仅仅将文化和文明区分开来，而且将文化与“自然状态”做对比。根据这种思考方式，人们可以认为部分国家比另外一部分国家文明程度更高，部分人比另一部分人更有文化。某些文化理论家曾试图将流行或大众文化排除在文化的定义外。诸如Mattew Arnold（1822 1888）或Leavises的理论家简单地认为文化是“世界上人类思考及讲述的最美好事物”的结果。Arnold将文化区别于社会动乱或无政府状态。这种说法将文化与社会的开化程度紧密相连：人类行为循序渐进的教养。Arnold坚持认为：“……通过求知欲了解与人类利益密切相关的事情，世界上人类思考及讲述的最美好事物，文化就构成了我们所有的完美追求。”
实际上，文化指的是最精致的物品及活动，而文化词用来描述了解并参加这些活动的人们。例如，有人使用“文化”这个词时意思是“文明”，他可能说，古典音乐高雅，胜过劳动人民的音乐，比如，朋克摇滚或澳洲土着民族的本地传统音乐。
从这个角度使用“文化”这个词的人往往不会使用它的复数形式。他们不相信存在截然不同的文化，每种文化都有其内在的逻辑和价值。他们宁愿相信，只需要一种单一的文化高雅标准就足够了，可以用来衡量所有群体。因而，根据这种世界观，那些自认为有教养的人，对于习俗不同的人，通常并不认为他们有“不同的文化”，而把他们看做“没有教养”。缺少“文化”的人往往看起来更加“自然”，而观察者通常会扞卫（或批评）良好修养的要素，用以压制“人类的本性”。
18世纪以来，一些社会批评家接受了有教养和没有教养之间的这种差别，但是，他们特别强调要把高雅和完美看做一种腐蚀人的、违背自然规律的演变结果，这种演变掩盖并扭曲了人的本性，#。
如今，大部分的社会科学家都不接受单一的文化概念，反对将文化与自然状态对立起来。他们认为非精英与精英的教养程度相同，（非西方人也同样文明有礼）——认为他们有教养的方式有所不同而已。因而，社会观察家把社会精英阶层的“雅”文化与“俗”文化或流行文化区别开来。“俗”文化或流行文化指的是人民大众自己创造、自己享受的产品和活动。
超纲词汇
Indigenous adj.本土的，土生土长的
monadic adj.单一
Elite n.精英，精华，中坚
Reject vt.拒绝，不接受
punk rock n.朋克摇滚乐
distort vt.歪曲，曲解
sophistication n.完善度，技巧
anarchy n.无政府状态，政治混乱
repress vt.抑制，镇压
aboriginal adj.原始的，土着的
obscure vt.遮掩，使模糊，使朦胧
suffice vi／vt.足够，充足
参考答案：1.B 2.A 3.A 4.D 5.C
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