2015年考研英语阅读理解考前专项训练（25）
发布时间：2012/10/30 22:53:13 来源：城市网学院 编辑：admin
They may not be the richest， but Africans remain the world's staunchest optimists. An annual survey by Gallup International， a research outfit， shows that， when asked whether this year will be better than last，Africa once again #es out on top.0ut of 5 2，000 people interviewed all over the world。under half believe that things are looking up.But in Africa the proportion is close t0 60％ almost twice as much as in Europe.examda.
Africans have some reasons to be cheerful.The continent'S economy has been doing fairly well with South Africa。the economic powerhouse，growing steadily over the past few years.Some of Africa's long-running conflicts，such as the war between the north and south in Sudan and the civil war in Con90， have ended.Africa even has its first elected female head of state，in Liberia. examda.
Yet there is no shortage of downers t00.Most of Africa remains dirt poor.Crises in places like Cote d'Ivoire。sierra Leone and Zimbabwe are far from solved.And the democratic credentials of Ethiopia ant Uganda，once the darlings of western donors，have taken a bad knock.⑦AIDS killed over 2m Africans ir 2005，and will kill more this year. examda.
So is it all iust a case of irrational exuberance?Meril James of Gallup argues that there is，in fact,usually very little relation between the survey's optimism rankings and reality.Africans，this year led by Nigerians，are collsistently the most upbeat，whether their lot gets better or not.On the other hand， Greece--hardly the worst place on earth--tops the gloom-and-doom chart，followed closely by Portugal and France.examda.
Ms James speculates that religion may have a lot to do with it.Nine out of ten Africans are religious，the highest proportion in the world.But cynics argue that most Africans believe that 2006 will be 901den because things have been so bad that it is hard to imagine how they could possibly get worse.This may help explain why places that have suffered recent misfortunes，such as Kosovo and Afghanistan，rank among the top five optimists. [346 words]
1.______believe that the future is brighter.
A.Most people in Africa examda.
B.Most people in Europe
C.Few people in Europe
D.Few people in the world
2.The Africans'optimism can be explained by the fact that______
A.South Africa is the economic powerhouse
B.the economy in Africa is prosperous examda.
C.there have been wars in both Sudan and Congo
D.Liberia is the first country to have a female head
3.The pessimism in Africa is rational because______
A.the economy in South Africa keeps growing
B.there are less crises in Africa than ever before
C.Africa is still the poorest continent in the world
D.both Ethiopia and Uganda enjoy more democracy now
4.The optimism in Africa isn't irrational because______
A.Europeans tend to be more pessimistic
B.optimism isn't necessarily related to people's real welfare
C.Nigerians are consistently the most upbeat
D.the lot of most Africans is better than Europeans
5.The author thinks that______
A.religion helps to develop one's optimism
B.2006 will be golden because things are looking up
C.the argument brought forward by the cynics is #prehensible
D.the proportion of people who believe in religion is highest in Africa [NextPage] 难句透析
①An annual survey by Gallup International，a research outfit，shows[that，（when asked<whether this year will be better than last>，Africa once again #es out on top）].examda.
【结构】方括号所标示的部分是“shows”的宾语从句。圆括号所标示的部分是其中的状语从句。尖括号所标示的部分是“asked”的宾语从句。“when asked”相当于“when people are asked”。
【释义】盖洛普国际是一个研究机构，它所做的一次年度普查表明。当问到今年是否会比去年好时，非洲再次名列前茅。
②Out of 52，000 people interviewed all over the world，under half believe[that things are looking up3.
【结构】过去分词“interviewed”用做后置定语，修饰“people”。方括号所标示的部分是“believe”的宾语从句。
【释义】在全世界所调查的52000人中。相信形势会转好的人不到一半。
③And the democratic credentials of Ethiopia and Uganda，once the darlings of western donors，have taken a bad knock.
【结构】 句中的短语“0nce the darlings of western donors”是对“credentials of Ethiopia and Uganda”的补充说明。
【释义】埃塞俄比亚和乌干达的民主，过去赢得西方施主的喜爱和信任，现已遭受严重挫折。
④On the other hand，Greece--hardly the worst place on earth--tops the gloom-and-doom chart。[followed closely by portugal and France].
【结构】本句主语是“Greece”，谓语动词是“tops”。方括号所标示的过去分词短语，用做补充说明状语。
【释义】另一方面，希腊根本算不上世界最差的地方，却在忧郁和厄运分布图上排在最前面，紧随其后的是葡萄牙和法国。
⑤But cynics argue[that most Africans believe（that 2006 will be golden（because things have been so bad that it is hard to imagine how they could possibly get worse>）].
【结构】方括号部分为“argue”的宾语从句。圆括号部分为“believe”的宾语从句。尖括号部分为原因状语从句。
【释义】但是，有些尖酸刻薄的人说，大多数非洲人都相信2006年将非常美好，那是因为过去情况一直很糟，很难想象还能再糟到哪儿去。 [NextPage] 全文翻译
非洲人或许不是最富有的人，但是他们依然是世界上最坚定的乐观主义者。盖洛普国际是一个研究机构，它所做的一次年度普查表明，当问到今年是否会比去年好时，非洲再次名列前茅……在全世界所调查的52000人中，相信形势会转好的人不到一半。但在非洲，这一比例高达近60％——差不多是欧洲的两倍。
非洲人有理由保持乐观的心态。由于其经济主体南非的稳定发展，该大洲在过去的几年中一直保持着良好的经济增长势头。非洲一些长久以来就存在的矛盾，比如苏丹的南北战争和刚果的内战，都已经停歇。非洲甚至还通过民选产生了第一位国家领袖，即利比里亚总统。
当然这里也不乏令人沮丧的情况。多数非洲人仍然极度贫困。在象牙海岸、赛拉里昂和津巴布韦等地的危机还远未解决。埃塞俄比亚和乌干达的民主，过去赢得西方施主的喜爱和信任，现已遭受严重挫折。#，艾滋病在2005年夺去了200万非洲人的生命，今年因它而死亡的人还会更多。
那么他们的乐观只不过是毫无情理的吗？盖洛普机构的梅瑞尔·詹姆士指出，实际上调查所显示出的乐观主义态度与现实并没多大的联系。非洲人，本年度最好的是尼日利亚人，不论他们的生活有没有改善都总是最快乐的。另一方面，希腊根本算不上世界最差的地方，却在忧郁和厄运分布图上排在最前面，紧随其后的是葡萄牙和法国。
詹姆士女士还预测说这或许和宗教信仰有关。10个非洲人中有9个信教，这是全世界最高的比例。但是，有些尖酸刻薄的人说，大多数非洲人都相信2006年将非常美好，那是因为过去情况一直很糟，很难想象还能再糟到哪儿去。这或许也能解释为什么一些最近遭受了不幸的地方，如科索沃和阿富汗都位列乐观排行榜前5位。
超纲词汇
hanistan n.阿富汗
Congo n.刚果
C6ted' n.象牙海岸
cynic n.愤世嫉俗的人，玩世不恭的人，好挖苦人的人
donor n.捐赠者，施主
downer n.令人沮丧的人
Ethiopia n.埃塞俄比亚
exuberance n.繁荣，迅速增长
Gallup poll n.盖洛普民意测验
Greeeel n.希腊
knock n.打击，震动，倒霉，麻烦事
Kosovo n.科索沃（南斯拉夫自治省名）
Liheria n.利比里亚
Nigerian n.尼日利亚人
outfit n.设备，装配，工具
Portugal n.葡萄牙
powerhouse n.机房，动力车间，发电厂
Sierra Leone n.塞拉里昂
staunch adj.坚定的
Sudan n.苏丹
zuganda n.乌于达
upbeat adj.乐观的，欢乐的
Zimbabwe n.津巴布韦
参考答案：1.A 2.B 3.C 4.B 5.C
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