Sailors, and Fishermen in particular, have always been extremely superstitious. This is hardly surprising when one considers the changeable nature of the sea where, even today with sophisticated weather-forecasting techniques, a sudden storm can blow up quite unexpectedly. In the days before radio and engines, where there could be no long-distance communication with another ship or land, and when sails were the only means of movement, it was only natural for the sailor to take every precaution to avoid offending the gods who controlled the sea.
One way of pleasing these gods was to make an annual offering. This custom survives in the ceremony of blessing the sea, which can still been seen once a year in some fishing ports. Next to pleasing the sea-gods, the most important thing for the sailor was to know that his boat was free from evil influences. The time to make sure of this was at the launching ceremony. It is clear that the well-known custom of launching a ship by breaking a bottle of champagne against the side goes back a very long way. The purpose of it is to keep away evil spirits rather than to ask for the sea-god’s protection.
Starting on a new voyage or fishing trip was a dangerous business at the best of times. Once the fishermen had set out for his ship, he dared not, on any account, look back. It was bad luck even to call after him, so if he had forgotten anything, someone had to run after him and put the object into his hands. Bad luck could also result from some chance meeting on the way to the boats. In some countries it was considered particularly unlucky to meet a priest, a rabbit or a woman. In such an event, the only thing to do was to turn back and sail next day.
1. What made sailors and fishermen superstitious?
2. The fishermen tried to please the sea gods by ______.
3. Sailors broke a bottle of champagne against the side of the boat ______.
4. What happened if a fisherman forgot something when starting on a trip?
5. If a fisherman met a woman on the way to his boat, ______.
问题1选项
A.Their own changeable nature.
B.The unreliable nature of the sea.
C.The difficulty of communicating with land.
D.The inadequate techniques of weather forecasting.
问题2选项
A.giving them presents every year
B.going long distances with only sails
C.cleaning the fishing ports every year
D.avoiding communicating with other ships
问题3选项
A.to protect it from bad spirits
B.to ask for the sea gods’ protection
C.so that the ship could go a very long way
D.so that they could start drinking and eating
问题4选项
A.He went back for it.
B.Someone called him back for it.
C.He looked behind him and tried to find it.
D.Someone gave it to him without speaking.
问题5选项
A.he wouldn’t blame her
B.he should turn his back on her
C.he wouldn’t go fishing that day
D.he should come back the next day
第1题:B
第2题:A
第3题:A
第4题:D
第5题:D
第1题:
【选项释义】
What made sailors and fishermen superstitious? 是什么让水手和渔民迷信？
A. Their own changeable nature. A. 他们自己多变的本性。
B. The unreliable nature of the sea. B. 大海不可靠的特性。
C. The difficulty of communicating with land. C. 与陆地沟通的困难。
D. The inadequate techniques of weather forecasting. D. 天气预报技术的不足。
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词superstitious可精确定位到原文第一段第一、二句“水手们，尤其是渔夫，一向极为迷信。考虑到大海变幻莫测的性质，这就不足为奇了。即使在今天有先进的天气预报技术，突然的风暴也可能突如其来。”（Sailors, and Fishermen in particular, have always been extremely superstitious. This is hardly surprising when one considers the changeable nature of the sea where, even today with sophisticated weather-forecasting techniques, a sudden storm can blow up quite unexpectedly.），因此本题正确答案为选项B。
【干扰项排除】
A选项原文未提及，属于无中生有；
C选项对应原文第一段第三句“在没有无线电和发动机的年代，人们无法与另一艘船或陆地进行远距离通讯”（In the days before radio and engines, where there could be no long-distance communication with another ship or land），不是迷信的原因，属于张冠李戴；
D选项对应原文第一段第二句“即使在今天，有了先进的天气预报技术”（even today with sophisticated weather-forecasting techniques），属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
The fishermen tried to please the sea gods by ______. 渔民们试图通过______来取悦海神。
A. giving them presents every year A. 每年给他们献礼
B. going long distances with only sails B. 只用帆远行
C. cleaning the fishing ports every year C. 每年清理渔港
D. avoiding communicating with other ships D. 避免与其他船只联系
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词please the sea gods可精确定位到原文第二段第一句“取悦这些神的一种方法是每年献上祭品。”（One way of pleasing these gods was to make an annual offering.），因此本题正确答案为选项A。
【干扰项排除】
B、C选项原文未提及，属于无中生有；
D选项对应原文第一段第三句“在没有无线电和发动机的年代，人们无法与另一艘船或陆地进行远距离通讯”（In the days before radio and engines, where there could be no long-distance communication with another ship or land），表示由于技术限制，船只之间无法联系，而不是以此取悦海神。
第3题:
【选项释义】
Sailors broke a bottle of champagne against the side of the boat ______. 水手们在船舷上打碎一瓶香槟是为了______。
A. to protect it from bad spirits A. 保护它不受恶灵侵袭
B. to ask for the sea gods’ protection B. 请求海神的保护
C. so that the ship could go a very long way C. 这样船可以走很远
D. so that they could start drinking and eating D. 以便他们可以开始吃喝
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词broke a bottle of champagne可精确定位到原文第二段倒数两句“很明显，在船舷上打破一瓶香槟让船下水这一众所周知的习俗可以追溯到很长一段时间以前。它的目的是驱走邪灵，而不是请求海神的保护。”（It is clear that the well-known custom of launching a ship by breaking a bottle of champagne against the side goes back a very long way. The purpose of it is to keep away evil spirits rather than to ask for the sea-god’s protection.），因此本题正确答案为选项A。
【干扰项排除】
B选项对应原文第二段倒数第一句“它的目的是驱走邪灵，而不是请求海神的保护。”（The purpose of it is to keep away evil spirits rather than to ask for the sea-god’s protection.），属于反向干扰；
C、D选项原文未提及，属于无中生有。
第4题:
【选项释义】
What happened if a fisherman forgot something when starting on a trip? 如果一个渔夫在出发航海忘记了什么东西会发生什么？
A. He went back for it. A. 他会回去拿。
B. Someone called him back for it. B. 有人把他喊回去了。
C. He looked behind him and tried to find it. C. 他会回过头，然后试图去找到。
D. Someone gave it to him without speaking. D. 有人会一字不说地给他。
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词forgot something可精确定位到原文第三段第三句“所以如果他忘了什么东西，就得有人追着他把东西交到他手里。”（so if he had forgotten anything, someone had to run after him and put the object into his hands.），因此本题正确答案为选项D。
【干扰项排除】
A、C选项对应原文第三段第一句“一旦渔民们出发去船上，他无论如何都不敢回头看。”（Once the fishermen had set out for his ship, he dared not, on any account, look back.），属于曲解原文；
B选项对应原文第二段最后一句“在后面喊他都是不吉利的”（It was bad luck even to call after him），属于曲解原文。
第5题:
【选项释义】
If a fisherman met a woman on the way to his boat, ______. 如果一个渔夫在去他的船的路上遇到一个女人，______。
A. he wouldn’t blame her A. 他不会责怪她
B. he should turn his back on her B. 他应该对她置之不理
C. he wouldn’t go fishing that day C. 那天他不应该出海
D. he should come back the next day D. 他第二天应该返航
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词met a woman可精确定位到原文第三段最后两句“在一些国家，遇到牧师、兔子或女人被认为是特别不吉利的。在这种情况下，唯一能做的就是第二天返航。”（In some countries it was considered particularly unlucky to meet a priest, a rabbit or a woman. In such an event, the only thing to do was to turn back and sail next day.），因此本题正确答案为选项D。
【干扰项排除】
A、B、C选项原文均未提及，属于无中生有。
