The argument concerning the use, or the status, or the reality of Black English is rooted in American history and has absolutely nothing to do with the question which the argument supposes itself to be posing. The argument has nothing to do with language itself but with the role of language. Language, incontestably, reveals the speaker. Language, also, far more dubiously, is meant to define the other—and, in this case, the other is refusing to be defined by a language that has never been able to recognize him.
People evolve a language in order to describe and thus control their circumstances, or in order not to be submerged by a reality that they cannot articulate. (And, if they cannot articulate it, they are submerged.) A Frenchman living in Paris speaks a subtly and crucially different language from that of the man living in Marseilles; neither sounds very much like a man living in Quebec; and they would all have great difficulty in apprehending what the man from Guadeloupe, or Martinique, is saying, to say nothing of the man from Senegal—although the “common” language of all these areas is French. But each has paid, and is paying, a different price for this “common” language, in which, as it turns out, they are not saying, and cannot be saying, the same things. They each have very different realities to articulate, or control.
What joins all languages, and all men, is the necessity to confront life, in order, not inconceivably, to outwit death: The price for this is the acceptance, and achievement, of one’s temporal identity. So that, for example, though it is not taught in the schools the south of France still clings to its ancient and musical Provencal, which resists being described as a “dialect”. And much of the tension in the Basque countries, and in Wales, is due to the Basque and Welsh determination not to allow their languages to be destroyed. This determination also feeds the flames in Ireland, for among the many indignities the Irish have been forced to undergo at English hands is the English contempt for their language.
It goes without saying, then, that language is also a political instrument, means, and proof of power. It is the most vivid and crucial key to identity: it reveals the private identity, and connects one with, or divorces one from the larger public, or communal identity. There have been, and are, times and places, when to speak a certain language could be dangerous, even fatal. Or, one may speak the same language, but in such a way that one’s antecedents are revealed, or (one hopes) hidden.
1. According to the passage, language reveals the speaker in the way that ____.
2. Why does a Frenchman living in Paris has great difficulty in apprehending what the man from Guadeloupe, or Martinique, is saying?
3. What does the example of Basque and Welsh illustrate?
4. In some places, speaking a certain language may cause ____.
5. The text is primarily concerned with discussing ____.
问题1选项
A.people who speak the same language share the same culture
B.a person is recognized by the language he speaks
C.language is an effective means of communication
D.language affects the speaker’s circumstances
问题2选项
A.Because they pronounce many words differently.
B.Because they live in different areas and seldom visit each other.
C.Because they speak different varieties of a language and confront different realities.
D.Because they have different articulation system.
问题3选项
A.Language reveals a nation’s or a community’s identity.
B.Certain people’s contempt for a language may lead to racial conflicts.
C.Language is a symbol of public existence.
D.Basque people join up with Welsh people to fight for their language.
问题4选项
A.family divorce
B.offence and hatred
C.communal misunderstanding
D.political disagreement
问题5选项
A.the use, status, and reality of Black English
B.the relationship between language and culture
C.language varieties
D.language, identity and nationality
第1题:B
第2题:C
第3题:A
第4题:B
第5题:D
第1题:
【选项释义】
According to the passage, language reveals the speaker in the way that ________. 根据文章,语言是以________的方式揭示使用这种语言的人的。
A. people who speak the same language share the same culture A. 说同一种语言的人拥有相同的文化
B. a person is recognized by the language he speaks B. 通过一个人说什么语言能识别出他的身份
C. language is an effective means of communication C. 语言是一种有效的交际手段
D. language affects the speaker’s circumstances D. 语言影响说话人所处的环境
【答案】B
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词language reveals the speaker定位到原文第1段第3句,该句提到“毫无疑问,语言揭示了使用这种语言的人(reveals the speaker)。”该句后一句提到“更令人怀疑的是,语言(Language)是用来定义他者的(define the other)——在这种情况下,他者(the other)拒绝被一种从未能够识别他者的语言(a language that has never been able to recognize him)所定义。”由此推断,语言因为能够识别一个人的身份而被用来定义使用该语言的人。因此,本题“语言是以什么方式揭示使用这种语言的人的”的答案是B选项“通过一个人说什么语言能识别出他的身份”。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“说同一种语言的人拥有相同的文化”,原文并未提及,该选项属于无中生有;
C选项“语言是一种有效的交际手段”,原文并未提及,该选项属于无中生有;
D选项“语言影响说话人所处的环境”,可定位到原文第2段第1句,该句提到“人们进化一种语言是为了描述并控制他们的环境(to describe and thus control their circumstances),或者是为了不被他们无法表达的现实所淹没。”由此可知,使用语言是为了描述和控制周围的环境,因此,环境不同,语言就不同,该选项表述错误,不是语言影响环境,而是环境影响语言。
第2题:
【选项释义】
Why does a Frenchman living in Paris has great difficulty in apprehending what the man from Guadeloupe, or Martinique, is saying? 为什么一个住在巴黎的法国人想知道从瓜德罗普或马提尼克来的人在说什么很困难?
A. Because they pronounce many words differently. A. 因为他们很多单词的发音都不一样。
B. Because they live in different areas and seldom visit each other. B. 因为他们生活在不同的地区,很少互相访问。
C. Because they speak different varieties of a language and confront different realities. C. 因为他们说的是一种语言的不同变种,面对的是不同的现实。
D. Because they have different articulation system. D. 因为他们有不同的发音系统。
【答案】C
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词a Frenchman living in Paris定位到原文第2段。本段第一句为该段核心句,该句说到“人们进化一种语言是为了描述并控制他们的环境(to describe and thus control their circumstances),或者是为了不被他们无法表达的现实所淹没。”接着通过举例(即本题提到的例子)证明这个观点。本段最后两句提到“但是每个人都为这种‘共同的’(common)语言付出了,并且正在付出不同的代价,事实证明,在这种‘共同的’语言中,他们不是在说,也不能说同样的事情。他们每个人都有非常不同的现实要表达或控制(have very different realities to articulate, or control)。”由此可知,他们说的语言从属于某种共同的语言,但是因为彼此要表达或控制的现实不同,所以他们听不懂对方的话。因此,C选项“因为他们说的是一种语言的不同变种,面对的是不同的现实”表述正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“因为他们很多单词的发音都不一样”,原文并未提及,该选项属于无中生有;
B选项“因为他们生活在不同的地区,很少互相访问”,原文并未提及,该选项属于无中生有;
D选项“因为他们有不同的发音系统”,原文并未提及,该选项属于无中生有。
第3题:
【选项释义】
What does the example of Basque and Welsh illustrate? 巴斯克和威尔士的例子说明了什么?
A. Language reveals a nation’s or a community’s identity. A. 语言揭示了一个国家或社会的身份。
B. Certain people’s contempt for a language may lead to racial conflicts. B. 某些人对一种语言的蔑视可能会导致种族冲突。
C. Language is a symbol of public existence. C. 语言是公共存在的象征。
D. Basque people join up with Welsh people to fight for their language. D. 巴斯克人与威尔士人联合起来为他们的语言而战。
【答案】A
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词Basque and Welsh定位到原文第3段。该段倒数第2句提到“巴斯克国家和威尔士的紧张局势,很大程度上是由于巴斯克人和威尔士人(the Basque and Welsh)决心不让他们的语言被破坏(determination not to allow their languages to be destroyed)”。这是第3段举的例子。例子是为论点服务的。本段第1句点明了本段论点,该句说到“将所有语言和所有人连接在一起的是,面对生命的必要性,以便战胜死亡:为此付出的代价是接受和成为一个人暂时的身份(the acceptance, and achievement, of one’s temporal identity)。”由此可知,语言显示的是一个人的身份,巴斯克人和威尔士人阻止自己的语言被破坏以保持自己的民族身份。因此,A选项“语言揭示了一个国家或社会的身份”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“某些人对一种语言的蔑视可能会导致种族冲突”,可定位到第3段最后一句,该句提到“爱尔兰的战火(the flames in Ireland)产生的原因之一就是英国人对他们语言的轻蔑(the English contempt for their language)”,由此可知,该选项表述的是另一个例子,与本题中的事例无关;
C选项“语言是公共存在的象征”,原文并未提及,该选项属于无中生有;
D选项“巴斯克人与威尔士人联合起来为他们的语言而战”,该选项表述的是例子本身,而非使用该例的目的,该选项属于偷换概念。
第4题:
【选项释义】
In some places, speaking a certain language may cause ________. 在一些地方,说某种语言可能会导致________。
A. family divorce A. 家庭分裂
B. offence and hatred B. 冒犯和仇恨
C. communal misunderstanding C. 公共的误解
D. political disagreement D. 政治上的分歧
【答案】B
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词speaking a certain language定位到原文最后一段第3句,该句提到“在过去和现在,在某些时间和地点,说某种语言(speak a certain language)可能是危险的,甚至是致命的(dangerous, even fatal)。”由此可知,在某些地方,说某种语言会很危险,甚至致命,B选项“冒犯和仇恨”与“危险或致命”有关,符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“家庭分裂”,与“危险,甚至致命”不符,属于无中生有;
C选项“公共的误解”,与“危险,甚至致命”不符,属于无中生有;
D选项“政治上的分歧”,可定位到原文最后一段第1句,该句提到“语言也是一种政治工具(a political instrument)、手段和权力的证明”,原文虽然提到了语言是政治工具,但是并没有说使用不同的语言会导致政治上的分歧,该选项属于过度推理。
第5题:
【选项释义】
The text is primarily concerned with discussing ________. 本文主要讨论________。
A. the use, status, and reality of Black English A. 黑人英语的使用、地位和现实
B. the relationship between language and culture B. 语言与文化的关系
C. language varieties C. 语言变体
D. language, identity and nationality D. 语言、身份和国籍
【答案】D
【考查点】主旨大意题。
【解题思路】梳理各段核心句,提炼复现词:
第一段核心句:本段第3句,该句说到“毫无疑问,语言(Language)揭示了使用这种语言的人(reveals the speaker)。”
第二段核心句:本段第1句,该句说到“人们进化一种语言是为了描述并控制他们的环境,或者是为了不被他们无法表达的现实所淹没。”该段揭示了语言的作用;
第三段核心句:“将所有语言和所有人连接在一起的是,面对生命的必要性,以便战胜死亡:为此付出的代价是接受和成为一个人暂时的身份(the acceptance, and achievement, of one’s temporal identity)。”该段揭示了语言与身份的关系;
第四段核心句:本段第2句,该句说到“语言揭示了个人身份(private identity),将一个人与更大的公众或公共身份(the larger public, or communal identity)联系起来或分离开来。”该段揭示了语言与国籍的关系;
复现词:language,identity;
综上所述,D选项“语言、身份和国籍”最全面的概括了本文的话题。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“黑人英语的使用、地位和现实”,可定位到原文第1段第1句,该句提到“关于黑人英语的使用、地位或现实(the use, or the status, or the reality of Black English)的争论根植于美国历史,与这个争论所提出的问题完全无关。”但是这只是文中用来引入主题的背景信息,不是原文主旨,该选项属于本末倒置;
B选项“语言与文化的关系”,原文并未提及文化,该选项属于无中生有;
C选项“语言变体”,只在原文第1段讨论语言时提到,不足以概括全文话题,该选项属于以偏概全。
【文章来源】《纽约时报》(The New York Times)1979
【参考译文】
关于黑人英语的使用、地位或现实的争论根植于美国历史,与该争论所提出的问题完全无关。这个论点与语言本身无关,而是与语言的作用有关。毫无疑问,语言能揭示说话人。更值得怀疑的是,语言也被用来定义一个人——在这种情况下,一个人拒绝被一种从未识别出他的语言定义。
人们进化出一种语言,是为了描述和控制他们的环境,或者是为了不被他们无法表达的现实淹没。(如果他们无法表达,就会被淹没。)一个住在巴黎的法国人所讲的语言与住在马赛的人所讲的语言微妙而又至关重要地不同;听起来都不太像一个生活在魁北克的人;他们都很难理解来自瓜德罗普或马提尼克岛的人在说什么,更不用说来自塞内加尔的人了——尽管这些地区的“通用”语言是法语。但每个人都为这种“共同”的语言付出了、而且正在付出不同的代价。事实证明,在这种“共同”的语言中,他们没有说、也不可能说同样的话。他们每个人都有非常不同的现实要表达或控制。
将所有语言和所有人联系在一起的,是面对生命的必要性,以战胜死亡,这并非不可思议:为此付出的代价是接受和实现一个人的现世身份。因此,例如,尽管法国南部的学校没有教授法语,但法国南部仍然坚持使用古老而富有音乐性的普罗旺尼亚尔语,拒绝被描述为“方言”。巴斯克国家和威尔士的紧张局势,很大程度上是由于巴斯克人和威尔士人不允许他们的语言被破坏的决心。这种决心也助长了爱尔兰人的怒火,因为爱尔兰人在英国人手中被迫遭受的诸多侮辱中,就包括英国人对他们语言的蔑视。
因此,不用说,语言也是一种政治工具、手段和权力的证明。它是身份认同的最生动、最重要的关键:它揭示了私人身份,并将一个人与更大的公共身份或社区身份联系起来,或分离开来。在过去和现在,在某些时间和地点,说某种语言可能是危险的,甚至是致命的。或者,一个人可能说着同样的语言,但是以这样一种方式,他的祖先被揭示,或者(他希望)被隐藏。