2017年12月大學英語六級閲讀習題及答案
英語六級考試中閲讀所佔比重為百分之三十五，閲讀的重要性不言而喻。下面是yjbys網小編提供給大家關於大學英語六級閲讀習題及答案，希望對大家的備考有所幫助。
The palm-forward“V”sign, formed by raising and spreading the first two fingers1 ,has three different meanings in American 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” 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.
閲讀自測
Ⅰ. Fill in the blanks with proper words :
American children______________________ ( 開玩笑地) put“V”, which______________________ ( 類似)“ horns”,
behind friends’heads in group ______________________( 快照) . They are______________________ ( 無意中地) reproducing
something that southern Europeans would find highly______________________ ( 無禮的) .
This mischief, called“ horns of the Devil”, is a ______________________( 變體) of the European
“ horns”gesture, which is______________________ ( 淫穢的) .
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______________________.
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
參考譯文
手勢 “V”
掌心向外, 豎起食指和中指, 並向兩邊展開, 這樣就構成了一個V 形手勢。V 形手勢在美國文化中有三個不同的含義。V 形手勢最為普及的一個意思是在1941 年由比利時人維克托· 德· 拉維雷創造發明的。他伸出雙指, 作出字母V 的手勢來表示他對納粹佔領比利時的反抗。這個V 不僅代表他的名字, 而且還象徵英語victory ( 勝利) 、佛蘭芒語virijheid ( 勝利) 和法語victoire ( 勝利) 這三個單詞。這一手勢的象徵意義迅速地傳播開來, 温斯頓· 邱吉爾在公眾場合就曾多次使用。因此, 在20 世紀40 年代和50 年代, 這個手勢只是表示“ 勝利”的.意思。V 形手勢的第二個意思出現在20 世紀60 年代。由於這個手勢含有軍事方面的意思,美國反戰者就諷刺性地用這個手勢來反對戰爭, 於是, 這個手勢開始被稱為“ 和平的標誌”。20 世紀70 年代, V 形手勢失去了軍事方面的含義, 成為熱愛自由的人、嗜用迷x藥的人、政治激進主義者們見面問候時常用的手勢, 並最終在廣大年輕人流傳開來。也就是説, 大約到20 世紀70 年代中期, 這個手勢就不再表示使用者的人生觀了。V 形手勢的第三個意思最為古老, 也少為人用。在集體照相的時候, 美國孩子常開玩。笑 地在朋友的腦袋後面擺出手勢V, 樣子就像動物的角一樣。他們無意中做出了一個被南歐人視為相當無禮的動作。這種被稱作“ 魔鬼之角”的惡作劇是歐洲“ 角形”手勢的變體,這種手勢被認為具有淫穢的意味。在南歐, 手勢V 表示“ 你的老婆對你不忠”。在別人腦袋後面做出這種手勢, 如同在説“ 他的老婆對他不忠”。
在美國, 人們通常將掌心向外, 面向對方做出這個手勢; 而英國人有時將掌心對着別人, 有時則像前人那樣, 掌心向內。掌心向內的V 形手勢在美國文化裏被看成是下流動作, 與美國人豎起中指一樣具有淫穢的含義。1941 年, 邱吉爾掌心朝內, 向英國軍隊擺出了V 形手勢。一些士兵吃驚地盯着他看, 顯然他對這個手勢的下流含義還全然不知。如今, 在英國, 如果你還不知道掌心向內和向外的差別的話, 你一定是個不問世事的隱士。然而, 令人驚訝的是, 瑪格麗特· 撒切爾在贏得1979 年的選舉之後, 又重蹈邱吉爾的覆轍, 做了一個掌心向內的V 形手勢。
