Stratford-on-Avon, as we all know, has only one industry-William Shakespeare-but there are two distinctly separate and increasingly hostile branches. There is the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), which presents superb productions of the plays at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre on the Avon. And there are the townsfolk who largely live off the tourists who come, not to see the plays, but to look at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Shakespeare’s birthplace and the other sights.
The worthy residents of Stratford doubt that the theatre adds a penny to their revenue. They frankly dislike the RSC’s actors, them with their long hair and beards and sandals and noisiness. It’s all deliciously ironic when you consider that Shakespeare, who earns his living, was himself an actor (with a beard) and did his share of noise-making.
The tourist streams are not entirely separate. The sightseers who come by bus and often take in Warwick Castle and Blenheim Palace on the side don’t usually see the plays, and some of them are even surprised to find a theatre in Stratford. However, the playgoers do manage a little sight-seeing along with their play going. It is the playgoers, the RSC contends, who bring in much of the town’s revenue because they spend the night (some of them four or five nights) pouring cash into the hotels and restaurants. The sightseers can take in everything and get out of town by nightfall.
The townsfolk don’t see it this way and local council does not contribute directly to the subsidy of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Stratford cries poor traditionally. Nevertheless every hotel in town seems to be adding a new wing or cocktail lounge. Hilton is building its own hotel there, which you may be sure will be decorated with Hamlet Hamburger Bars, the Lear Lounge, the Banquo Banqueting Room, and so forth, and will be very expensive.
Anyway, the townsfolk can’t understand why the Royal Shakespeare Company needs a subsidy. (The theatre has broken attendance records for three years in a row. Last year its 1,431 seats were 94 per cent occupied all year long and this year they’ll do better.) The reason, of course, is that costs have rocketed and ticket prices have stayed low.
It would be a shame to raise prices too much because it would drive away the young people who are Stratford’s most attractive clientele. They come entirely for the plays, not the sights. They all seem to look alike (though they come from all over)—lean, pointed, dedicated faces, wearing jeans and sandals, eating their buns and bedding down for the night on the flagstones outside the theatre to buy the 20 seats and 80 standing-room tickets held for the sleepers and sold to them when the box office opens at 10:30 a.m.
1. From the first two paragraphs, we learn that _____.
2. It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that _____.
3. By saying “Stratford cries poor traditionally” (Line 2-3, Paragraph 4), the author implies that _____.
4. According to the townsfolk, the RSC deserves no subsidy because _____.
5. From the text we can conclude that the author _____.
问题1选项
A.the townsfolk deny the RSC’s contribution to the town’s revenue
B.the actors of the RSC imitate Shakespeare on and off stage
C.the two branches of the RSC are not on good terms
D.the townsfolk earn little from tourism
问题2选项
A.the sightseers cannot visit the Castle and the Palace separately
B.the playgoers spend more money than the sightseers
C.the sightseers do more shopping than the playgoers
D.the playgoers go to no other places in town than the theater
问题3选项
A.Stratford cannot afford the expansion projects
B.Stratford has long been in financial difficulties
C.the town is not really short of money
D.the townsfolk used to be poorly paid
问题4选项
A.ticket prices can be raised to cover the spending
B.the company is financially ill-managed
C.the behavior of the actors is not socially acceptable
D.the theatre attendance is on the rise
问题5选项
A.is supportive of both sides
B.favors the townsfolk’s view
C.takes a detached attitude
D.is sympathetic to the RSC
第1题:A
第2题:B
第3题:C
第4题:D
第5题:D
第1题:
【选项释义】
From the first two paragraphs, we learn that _____. 从前两段,我们知道_____。
A. the townsfolk deny the RSC’s contribution to the town’s revenue A. 市民们否认皇家莎士比亚剧团对城镇收入的贡献
B. the actors of the RSC imitate Shakespeare on and off stage B. 皇家莎士比亚剧团的演员们在台上台下都模仿莎士比亚
C. the two branches of the RSC are not on good terms C. 皇家莎士比亚剧团的两个分支关系不好
D. the townsfolk earn little from tourism D. 镇上的居民从旅游中赚得很少
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干定位到原文第二段第一句“斯特福特镇令人景仰的居民们不相信(doubt)剧院给他们增添了哪怕是一丁点的收入(adds a penny to their revenue)”,由此可知,选项A符合原文。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“皇家莎士比亚剧团的演员们在台上台下都模仿莎士比亚”原文没有提及,属于无中生有;
C选项“皇家莎士比亚剧团的两个分支关系不好”,原文第一段提到“RSC和当地居民(the townsfolk)是对立的两派”,但并未说RSC有两派,该选项属于曲解原文;
D选项“镇上的居民从旅游中赚得很少”,原文第一段第三句提到“另一方则是很大程度上依赖游客而谋生的(live off the tourists)当地居民”,由此可知,该选项表述不对,属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that _____. 从第三段可以推断出_____。
A. the sightseers cannot visit the Castle and the Palace separately A. 游客不能分别参观城堡和宫殿
B. the playgoers spend more money than the sightseers B. 看戏的人比观光的人花更多的钱
C. the sightseers do more shopping than the playgoers C. 观光客比看戏的人购物更多
D. the playgoers go to no other places in town than the theater D. 看戏的人在城里只去剧院
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干定位到原文第三段的最后两句“皇家莎士比亚剧院认为,正是看戏的人(playgoers)给镇上带来了丰厚的收入(bring in much of the town’s revenue),因为他们在此过夜(有些人会住四到五个晚上),自然也就将大量的钱花费在酒店和参观中。而观光者(sightseers)到了黄昏时会参观完所有地方并离开镇子(get out of town)”,由此可知,选项B符合原文。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“游客不能分别参观城堡和宫殿”,与第三段第二句“乘车来的观光者经常会顺道去参观沃维堡和布伦亨宫”不符,属于曲解原文;
C选项“观光客比看戏的人购物更多”,原文没有提及,属于无中生有;
D选项“看戏的人在城里只去剧院”,与第三段第三句“然而,看戏的人则设法在看戏的间隙出来观光”不符,属于曲解原文。
第3题:
【选项释义】
By saying “Stratford cries poor traditionally” (Line 2-3, Paragraph 4), the author implies that _____. 通过说“哭穷是斯特福特镇的传统”(第四段第2-3行),作者暗示_____。
A. Stratford cannot afford the expansion projects A. 斯特福特负担不起扩建工程
B. Stratford has long been in financial difficulties B. 斯特福特长期处于财政困难之中
C. the town is not really short of money C. 这个城镇并不真的缺钱
D. the townsfolk used to be poorly paid D. 镇上的居民过去工资很低
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干定位到原文第四段最后两句“然而镇上的每一家旅馆(every hotel)似乎都在努力增加一个侧厅或一间餐厅酒吧。希尔顿饭店(Hilton)正在这里构建自己的旅馆,你几乎可以肯定它会配有哈姆雷特汉堡店(Hamlet Hamburger Bars)、李尔休息室(the Lear Lounge)、班柯宴会包间(the Banquo Banqueting Room)等等,而且价格昂贵(expensive)”,结合这些举例可知,上文那句话暗示的是“这个城镇并不真的缺钱”,选项C正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、B选项不符合这句话的暗示,属于曲解原文;
D选项“镇上的居民过去工资很低”,原文没有提及,属于无中生有。
第4题:
【选项释义】
According to the townsfolk, the RSC deserves no subsidy because _____. 根据市民的说法,皇家莎士比亚剧团不应该得到补贴,因为_____。
A. ticket prices can be raised to cover the spending A. 票价可以提高以弥补支出
B. the company is financially ill-managed B. 这家公司在财务上管理不善
C. the behavior of the actors is not socially acceptable C. 演员的行为不为社会所接受
D. the theatre attendance is on the rise D. 剧院的上座率在上升
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干定位到原文第五段第二、三句“剧院的上座率已经连续三年破纪录(broken attendance records for three years),在过去整整一年中,它1431个坐席的上座率达到94%,而且今年会更好”,由此可知,皇家莎士比亚剧院不需要补贴是因为上座率的上升,选项D正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、C选项原文没有提及,属于无中生有。
第5题:
【选项释义】
From the text we can conclude that the author _____. 从文中我们可以得出结论:作者_____。
A. is supportive of both sides A. 支持双方
B. favors the townsfolk’s view B. 喜欢城镇居民的观点
C. takes a detached attitude C. 采取客观的态度
D. is sympathetic to the RSC D. 同情皇家莎士比亚剧团
【考查点】观点态度题。
【解题思路】根据题干定位到原文第二段最后一句“当你想到为他们提供生计的莎士比亚本人就是个留着胡须、吵吵嚷嚷的演员时,这真是一个极好的讽刺(deliciously ironic)”以及倒数第二段最后一句和最后一段第一句“当然,理由是其他费用都在上升,而票价却一直较低,把价格提高太多是一件令人遗憾的事(a shame)……”,由此可知,作者其实是理解和同情剧院的,选项D符合。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、C选项不符合作者的观点态度,属于曲解原文。