Of all the changes that have taken place in English-language newspapers during the past quarter-century, perhaps the most far-reaching has been the inexorable decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage.
It is difficult to the point of impossibility for the average reader under the age of forty to imagine a time when high-quality arts criticism could be found in most big-city newspapers. Yet a considerable number of the most significant collections of criticism published in the 20th century consisted in large part of newspaper reviews. To read such books today is to marvel at the fact that their learned contents were once deemed suitable for publication in general-circulation dailies.
We are even farther removed from the unfocused newspaper reviews published in England between the turn of the 20th century and the eve of World War II, at a time when newsprint was dirt-cheap and stylish arts criticism was considered an ornament to the publications in which it appeared. In those far-off days, it was taken for granted that the critics of major papers would write in detail and at length about the events they covered. Theirs was a serious business, and even those reviewers who wore their learning lightly, like George Bernard Shaw and Ernest Newman, could be trusted to know what they were about. These men believed in journalism as a calling, and were proud to be published in the daily press. “So few authors have brains enough or literary gift enough to keep their own end up in journalism,” Newman wrote, “that I am tempted to define ‘journalism’ as ‘a term of contempt applied by writers who are not read to writers who are’.”
Unfortunately, these critics are virtually forgotten. Neville Cardus, who wrote for the Manchester Guardian from 1917 until shortly before his death in 1975, is now known solely as a writer of essays on the game of cricket. During his lifetime, though, he was also one of England’s foremost classical-music critics, and a stylist so widely admired that his Autobiography (1947) became a best-seller. He was knighted in 1967, the first music critic to be so honored. Yet only one of his books is now in print, and his vast body of writings on music is unknown save to specialists.
Is there any chance that Cardus’s criticism will enjoy a revival? The prospect seems remote. Journalistic tastes had changed long before his death, and postmodern readers have little use for the richly upholstered Vicwardian prose in which he specialized. Moreover, the amateur tradition in music criticism has been in headlong retreat.
1. It is indicated in Paragraphs 1 and 2 that ________.
2. Newspaper reviews in England before World War II were characterized by ________.
3. Which of the following would Shaw and Newman most probably agree on?
4. What can be learned about Cardus according to the last two paragraphs?
5. What would be the best title for the text?
问题1选项
A.arts criticism has disappeared from big-city newspapers
B.English-language newspapers used to carry more arts reviews
C.high-quality newspapers retain a large body of readers
D.young readers doubt the suitability of criticism on dailies
问题2选项
A.free themes
B.casual style
C.elaborate layout
D.radical viewpoints
问题3选项
A.It is writers’ duty to fulfill journalistic goals.
B.It is contemptible for writers to be journalists.
C.Writers are likely to be tempted into journalism.
D.Not all writers are capable of journalistic writing.
问题4选项
A.His music criticism may not appeal to readers today.
B.His reputation as a music critic has long been in dispute.
C.His style caters largely to modern specialists.
D.His writings fail to follow the amateur tradition.
问题5选项
A.Newspapers of the Good Old Days
B.The Lost Horizon in Newspapers
C.Mournful Decline of Journalism
D.Prominent Critics in Memory
第1题:B
第2题:A
第3题:D
第4题:A
第5题:B
第1题:
【整体分析】
来源:Commentary《评论》于2007年11月1日刊登的文章The Amateur as Critic(业余评论家)。
主题:本文主要探讨了过去25年英语报纸发生的变化,特别是艺术报道范围和严肃性的下降。它指出了过去报纸上高质量艺术评论的存在,以及20世纪初至二战前夕英国报纸上的评论风格。文章提到了被遗忘的评论家内维尔•卡德斯及其对音乐的评论,以及他们的作品如今的情况和前景。最后,文章指出了新闻业口味的变化和音乐评论中业余传统的衰退。
结构:
【试题解析】
【选项释义】
It is indicated in Paragraphs 1 and 2 that ________. 第1段和第2段中指出:________。
A. arts criticism has disappeared from big-city newspapers A. 艺术批评已经从大城市的报纸上消失了
B. English-language newspapers used to carry more arts reviews B. 英语报纸曾经刊登过更多的艺术评论
C. high-quality newspapers retain a large body of readers C. 高质量的报纸保留了大量的读者
D. young readers doubt the suitability of criticism on dailies D. 年轻的读者对日报上的评论文章是否合适表示怀疑
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词Paragraphs 1 and 2可以定位到文章第一段“最具深远影响的或许是它们艺术报道的范围和严肃性的不可逆转的下降(the inexorable decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage)”和第二段第一、二句“对于40岁以下的普通读者来说,很难想象过去高质量的艺术评论可以在大城市的报纸上读到(high-quality arts criticism could be found in most big-city newspapers)的时代。然而,在20世纪出版的一系列最重要的评论集中,很大一部分是由报纸评论组成的(consisted in large part of newspaper reviews)”,说明在过去,艺术评论在报纸上是很常见的,因此B选项“英语报纸曾经刊登过更多的艺术评论”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“艺术批评已经从大城市的报纸上消失了”,由perhaps the most far-reaching has been the inexorable decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage(最具深远影响的或许是它们艺术报道的范围和严肃性的不可逆转的下降)可知,艺术批评只是数量减少,而不是完全消失,属于过度推断;
C选项“高质量的报纸保留了大量的读者”在文中没有提及,属于无中生有;
D选项“年轻的读者对日报上的评论文章是否合适表示怀疑”,由It is difficult to the point of impossibility for the average reader under the age of forty to imagine a time when high-quality arts criticism could be found in most big-city newspapers.(对于40岁以下的普通读者来说,很难想象过去高质量的艺术评论可以在大城市的报纸上读到的时代。)可知,年轻的读者是难以想象过去在报纸上可以读到评论文章,而不是对这种做法感到怀疑,属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
Newspaper reviews in England before World War II were characterized by ________. 二战前英国的报纸评论的特点是________。
A. free themes A. 自由的主题
B. casual style B. 随意的风格
C. elaborate layout C. 精心设计的版面
D. radical viewpoints D. 激进的观点
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词before World War II可以定位到文章第三段第一句“我们与20世纪初期至二战前夕英国报刊上那些主题自由的评论(the unfocused newspaper reviews published in England between the turn of the 20th century and the eve of World War II)相去甚远”,说明二战前英国的报纸评论的主题是很自由的,因此A选项“自由的主题”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“随意的风格”,C选项“精心设计的版面”和D选项“激进的观点”在文中均没有提及,属于无中生有。
第3题:
【选项释义】
Which of the following would Shaw and Newman most probably agree on? 肖和纽曼最可能在以下哪项上达成一致?
A. It is writers’ duty to fulfill journalistic goals. A. 完成新闻目标是作家的职责。
B. It is contemptible for writers to be journalists. B. 作家当记者是可鄙的。
C. Writers are likely to be tempted into journalism. C. 作家有可能被吸引去做新闻工作。
D. Not all writers are capable of journalistic writing. D. 不是所有的作家都有能力进行新闻写作。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词Shaw and Newman可以定位到文章第三段第三、四、五句“他们从事的是一项严肃的事业,即使像乔治•伯纳德•肖和欧内斯特•纽曼这样轻松地展示自己的学识的评论家也能够被信任,他们知道自己的职责(know what they were about)。这些人相信新闻事业是一种使命(believed in journalism as a calling),并为在日报上发表感到自豪。‘有足够的智慧或文学天赋来在新闻事业中站稳脚跟的作家是如此之少(So few authors have brains enough or literary gift enough to keep their own end up in journalism),’纽曼写道”,说明这两人最有可能赞同的观点是并不是所有作家都能胜任新闻写作。因此D选项“不是所有的作家都有能力进行新闻写作。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“完成新闻目标是作家的职责。”和C选项“作家有可能被吸引去做新闻工作。”在文中没有提及,属于无中生有;
B选项“作家当记者是可鄙的。”,由I am tempted to define ‘journalism’ as ‘a term of contempt applied by writers who are not read to writers who are’(以至于我忍不住要将‘新闻事业’定义为‘不受欢迎的作家对受到欢迎的作家的蔑称’)可知,新闻事业是对那些受到欢迎的作家的轻蔑之词,而不是说作家不屑于成为记者,属于偷换概念。
第4题:
【选项释义】
What can be learned about Cardus according to the last two paragraphs? 根据最后两段,可以了解到关于卡德斯的什么?
A. His music criticism may not appeal to readers today. A. 他的音乐评论可能对今天的读者没有吸引力。
B. His reputation as a music critic has long been in dispute. B. 他作为一个音乐评论家的声誉长期以来一直存在争议。
C. His style caters largely to modern specialists.
C. 他的风格在很大程度上迎合了现代的专家。
D. His writings fail to follow the amateur tradition. D. 他的著作未能遵循业余的传统。
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词Cardus可以定位到文章第四段最后一句“然而,现在只有一本他的书还在出版(only one of his books is now in print)”和第五段第三句“在他去世之前的很长一段时间,新闻业的品味已经发生了变化,后现代读者对他擅长的那种辞藻华丽的维多利亚—爱德华时代风格的散文没有太多兴趣(postmodern readers have little use for the richly upholstered Vicwardian prose in which he specialized)”,说明卡德斯的作品在如今已经失去吸引力,因此A选项“他的音乐评论可能对今天的读者没有吸引力。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“他作为一个音乐评论家的声誉长期以来一直存在争议。”,由he was also one of England’s foremost classical-music critics, and a stylist so widely admired(他也是英国最优秀的古典音乐评论家之一,他的文风广受赞赏)可知,卡德斯的声誉一直非常好,属于反向干扰;
C选项“他的风格在很大程度上迎合了现代的专家。”,由his vast body of writings on music is unknown save to specialists(他关于音乐的大量著作只有专家才知道)可知,是只有专家知道他的著作,而不是他去迎合专家,属于曲解原文;
D选项“他的著作未能遵循业余的传统。”在文中没有提及,属于无中生有。
第5题:
【选项释义】
What would be the best title for the text? 本文的最佳标题是什么?
A. Newspapers of the Good Old Days A. 报纸过去的黄金岁月
B. The Lost Horizon in Newspapers B. 报纸上消失的地平线
C. Mournful Decline of Journalism C. 新闻业令人痛心的衰落
D. Prominent Critics in Memory D. 记忆中的著名评论家
【考查点】主旨大意题。
【解题思路】文章讨论了英语报纸艺术报道范围和严肃性的不可逆转的下降,描述了过去高质量艺术评论在大城市报纸上的存在,以及重要评论集中大部分由报纸评论组成的时代。然而,随着时间的推移,新闻业的品味发生了变化,读者对维多利亚—爱德华时代风格的辞藻华丽的散文和音乐评论的业余传统兴趣减少。由此可知,本文是围绕着艺术评论在报纸上的衰退展开的,因此B选项“报纸上消失的地平线”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“报纸过去的黄金岁月”在文中没有提及,属于无中生有;
C选项“新闻业令人痛心的衰落”,文章只讲了艺术评论这个板块的衰落,而不是整个新闻业,属于过度推断;
D选项“记忆中的著名评论家”只在文章的某部分提及,不能概括全文的主旨大意,属于以偏概全。
【重点词汇】
inexorable /ɪnˈɛksərəbl/ adj. 不可阻挡的
coverage /ˈkʌvərɪdʒ/ n. 覆盖;报道
criticism /ˈkrɪtɪsɪzəm/ n. 批评;评论
collection /kəˈlɛkʃən/ n. 收藏;集合
circulation /ˌsɜːrkjuˈleɪʃən/ n. 发行量;流通
unfocused /ʌnˈfoʊkəst/ adj. 不集中的;散漫的
newsprint /ˈnjuːzprɪnt/ n. 新闻纸
ornament /ˈɔːrnəmənt/ n. 装饰品
publication /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃən/ n. 出版物
length /lɛŋθ/ n. 长度;篇幅
reviewer /rɪˈvjuːər/ n. 评论家;审查者
calling /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/ n. 使命;职业
contempt /kənˈtɛmpt/ n. 轻视;鄙视
specialist /ˈspɛʃəlɪst/ n. 专家;专业人士
upholstered /ʌpˈhoʊlstərd/ adj. 有填料的;有装饰物的
far-reaching 影响深远的
high-quality 高质量的
dirt-cheap 非常便宜的
taken for granted 理所当然
【长难句分析】
1. We are even farther removed from the unfocused newspaper reviews published in England between the turn of the 20th century and the eve of World War II, at a time when newsprint was dirt-cheap and stylish arts criticism was considered an ornament to the publications in which it appeared.
【结构分析】
【补充分析】
① when引导定语从句,修饰a time,描述了当时的情况,即新闻纸价格便宜和时尚艺术评论被视为出现在报刊上的点缀品;
② in which引导定语从句,修饰publications,指出那些时尚艺术评论出现的地方。
【参考译文】我们与20世纪初期至二战前夕英国报刊上那些主题自由的评论相去甚远,当时新闻纸张非常便宜,高雅的艺术评论被视为出现在报纸上的点缀品。
2. Theirs was a serious business, and even those reviewers who wore their learning lightly, like George Bernard Shaw and Ernest Newman, could be trusted to know what they were about.
【结构分析】
【补充分析】
① who引导定语从句,修饰reviewers,用于描述那些评论家是能够轻松展示自己学识的;
② what引导宾语从句,作know的宾语,解释了评论家知道的内容是自己该做什么。
【参考译文】他们从事的是一项严肃的事业,即使像乔治•伯纳德•肖和欧内斯特•纽曼这样轻松地展示自己的学识的评论家也能够被信任,他们知道自己的职责。
【全文翻译】
在过去的25年里,英语报纸发生的所有变化中,最具深远影响的或许是它们艺术报道的范围和严肃性的不可逆转的下降。
对于40岁以下的普通读者来说,很难想象过去高质量的艺术评论可以在大城市的报纸上读到的时代。然而,在20世纪出版的一系列最重要的评论集中,很大一部分是由报纸评论组成的。今天阅读这些书籍,我们会惊叹于一个事实:它们的学术内容曾经被认为适合在大众报纸上发表。
我们与20世纪初期至二战前夕英国报刊上那些主题自由的评论相去甚远,当时新闻纸张非常便宜,高雅的艺术评论被视为出现在报纸上的点缀品。在那个遥远的时代,人们默认各大报纸的评论家会详细地评论他们所报道的事件。他们从事的是一项严肃的事业,即使像乔治•伯纳德•肖和欧内斯特•纽曼这样轻松地展示自己的学识的评论家也能够被信任,他们知道自己的职责。这些人相信新闻事业是一种使命,并为在日报上发表感到自豪。“有足够的智慧或文学天赋来在新闻事业中站稳脚跟的作家是如此之少,”纽曼写道,“以至于我忍不住要将‘新闻事业’定义为‘不受欢迎的作家对受到欢迎的作家的蔑称’。”
不幸的是,这些评论家几乎被遗忘了。内维尔•卡德斯是曾于1917年起为《曼彻斯特卫报》撰稿的评论家,直至他于1975年去世。如今,他仅以撰写关于板球比赛的评论而闻名。然而,在他的一生中,他也是英国最优秀的古典音乐评论家之一,他的文风广受赞赏,以至于他的自传《回忆录》(1947年)成为畅销书。他于1967年被封为爵士,成为首位获此殊荣的音乐评论家。然而,现在只有一本他的书还在出版,他关于音乐的大量著作只有专家才知道。
卡德斯的评论是否有机会复苏?前景似乎渺茫。在他去世之前的很长一段时间,新闻业的品味已经发生了变化,后现代读者对他擅长的那种辞藻华丽的维多利亚—爱德华时代风格的散文没有太多兴趣。此外,音乐评论中的业余传统已经急剧衰退。