Ⅲ .阅读理解

A

Vincent Van Gogh (30 March 1853～29 July 1890) was a Dutch post－Impressionist artist. He was considered one of the greatest artists with great influence on 20th century art.

Van Gogh spent his early adult life working for a firm of art dealers. After a brief period as a teacher, he became a missionary(传教士) worker in a very poor mining region. He did not begin his career as an artist until 1880; however during the last ten years of his life, he produced more than 2 000 pieces, including around 900 paintings and 1 100 drawings and sketches(素描). 

He worked only with sombre(昏暗的) colours until he met Impressionism and neo－Impressionism in Paris. Van Gogh incorporated(合并) their brighter colours and style of painting into a uniquely recognizable style. Most of his best－known works were produced during his final two years, when he was suffering from serious mental illness.

In 1890, at the age of 37, Van Gogh shot himself in the chest. He died two days later, with Theo, his brother and his best friend, at his side, who reported his last words as “The sadness will last forever”. Theo, unable to come to terms with his brother's death died 6 months later and was buried next to him. It would not take long before his fame grew higher and higher.

Vincent Van Gogh's mother threw away quite a number of his paintings during Vincent's life and even after his death. But she would live long enough to see her son become a world famous painter.

The only painting he sold during his lifetime, The Red Vineyard, was created in 1888. It is now on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia. Several paintings by Van Gogh rank among the most expensive paintings in the world. 

On March 30, 1987 Van Gogh's painting Irises was sold for a record $53.9 million at Southeby's, New York. On May 15, 1990 his Portrait of Doctor Gachet was sold for $82.5 million at Christie's, thus establishing a new price record.

1．What's the right order of Van Gogh's life experience?

a．worked as a teacher
b．took up drawing
c．worked in an art firm
d．worked as a missionary worker
A．c, a, b, d B．c, a, d, b
C．b, c, a, d D．b, a, c, d

答案及解析：B。细节题。由第三段可知B项正确叙述了梵高的人生经历。

2．Which words can best describe Van Gogh's later years?

A．Sad and boring.
B．Normal and peaceful.
C．Happy but fruitless.
D．Painful but productive.

答案解析:D。推断题。根据文章可知，梵高晚年患有严重的精神疾病(serious mental illness)，而他的大部分著名作品创造于生命的最后两年，由此可以判断他的晚年是“痛苦而又多产的”。

3．Why did Van Gogh kill himself?

A．Because he was a failure as an artist.
B．Because he had an unhappy family.
C．Because he lost his beloved brother.
D．Because he was suffering from mental illness.

答案解析:D。细节题。第二段结尾告诉我们，梵高晚年患有严重的精神疾病，第dg 段开头接着说梵高自杀，由此可知D项正确。

4．What can we learn from the passage?

A．Van Gogh didn't become famous until he died.
B．Van Gogh drew and sold many paintings in his life.
C．Van Gogh achieved great success during his lifetime.
D．Van Gogh drew most of his paintings between 1888 and 1890.

4．答案解析:A。推断题。结合最后一段开头The only painting he sold during his lifetime...和第三段结尾It would not take long before his fame grew higher and higher.可以判断梵高生前并不辉煌，只是死后才声名大噪，故A项正确。

本文是一篇对比文，特点是平行论述，没有主次之分，作者不发表态度和结论，一般两种观点的开头可当做文章主旨。

B

Some futurologists have assumed that the vast upsurge(剧增)of women in the workforce may portend a rejection of marriage. Many women, according to this hypothesis, would rather work than marry. The converse(反面)of this concern is that the prospects of becoming a multipaycheck household could encourage marriage. In the past, only the earnings and financial prospects of the man counted in the marriage decision.

Now, however, the earning ability of a woman can make her more attractive as a marriage partner. Data show that economic downturns tend to putting off marriage because the parties cannot afford to establish a family or are concerned about rainy days ahead. As the economy comes to life, the number of marriages also rises.

The increase in divorce rates follows to the increase in women working outside the home. Yet, it may be wrong to jump to any simple causeandeffect conclusions. The impact of a wife's work on divorce is no less cloudy than its impact on marriage decisions. The realization that she can be a good provider may increase the chances that a working wife will choose divorce over an unsatisfactory marriage. 

But the reverse is equally plausible(似是而非的). Tensions grounded in financial problems often play a key role in ending a marriage. By raising a family's standard of living, a working wife may strengthen her family's financial and emotional stability.

Psychological factors also should be considered. For example, a wife blocked from a career outside the home may feel caged in the house. She may view her only choice as seeking a divorce. On the other hand, if she can find fulfillment through work outside the home, work and marriage can go together to create a stronger and more stable union. 

Also, a major part of women's inequality in marriage has been due to the fact that, in most cases, men have remained the main breadwinners. A working wife may rob a husband of being the master of the house. Depending upon how the couple reacts to these new conditions, it could create a stronger equal partnership or it could create new insecurities. 

5. The word “portend” (line 2, para.1) is closest in meaning to“______”．

A. defy B. signal
C. suffer from D. result from

答案解析:B。词义题。根据句意不难理解portend是“预示”的意思。signal也有“显示”的意思；defy不服从，反抗；suffer from忍受，遭受；result from由……产生。

6. It is said in the passage that when the economy slides ______. 

A. men would choose working women as their marriage partners
B. more women would get married to seek financial security
C. even working women would worry about their marriages
D. more people would prefer to remain single for the time being 

6.答案解析: D。细节题。题干的the economy slides等于原文的economic downturns。第一段提到经济低迷时期人们倾向推迟婚姻，因为双方不能承担一个家庭或者担心更窘迫的日子。D符合原文意思。

7. If women find fulfillment through work outside the home, ______. 

A. they are more likely to dominate their marriage partners
B. their husbands are expected to do more housework
C. their marriage ties can be strengthened
D. they tend to put their career before marriage

答案解析： C。细节题。第三段最后一句可知选项C正确。

8. One reason why women with no career may seek a divorce is that ______. 

A. they feel that they have been robbed of their freedom
B. they are afraid of being bossed around by their husbands
C. they feel that their partners fail to live up to their expectations
D. they tend to suspect their husbands, loyalty to their marriage

8.答案解析： A。细节题。第三段第二句提到不能外出工作的妇女会感到被关在笼子里，相当于“they feel that they have been robbed of their freedom”“她们感到被剥夺了自由。”

9. Which of the following statements can best summarize the author's view in the passage?
A. The stability of marriage and the divorce rate may reflect the economic situation of the country.
B. Even when economically independent, most women have to struggle for real equality in marriage.
C. In order to secure their marriage women should work outside the home and remain independent.
D. The impact of the growing female workforce on marriage varies from case to case.

9. 答案解析：D。主旨题。用排除法解题。A因果颠倒，排除；B文章从未提及；C以偏盖全；只有D，女性外出工作对婚姻的影响各不一样，这准确表达出文章的两种平行的相反观点。