1、Week 8TuesdayTask 1:阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。(2015江苏,D)Freedom and ResponsibilityFreedoms challenge in the Digital Age is a serious topic.We are facing today a strange new world and we are all wondering what we are going to do with it.Some 2,500 years ago Greece discovered freedom.Before t
2、hat there was no freedom.There were great civilizations,splendid empires,but no freedom anywhere.Egypt and Babylon were both tyrannies,one very powerful man ruling over helpless masses.In Greece,in Athens (雅典),a little city in a little country,there were no helpless masses.And Athenians willingly ob
3、eyed the written laws which they themselves passed,and the unwritten,which must be obeyed if free men live together.They must show each other kindness and pity and the many qualities without which life would be very painful unless one chose to live alone in the desert.The Athenians never thought tha
4、t a man was free if he could do what he wanted.A man was free if he was selfcontrolled.To make yourself obey what you approved was freedom.They were saved from looking at their lives as their own private affair.Each one felt responsible for the welfare of Athens,not because it was forced on him from
5、 the outside,but because the city was his pride and his safety.The essential belief of the first free government in the world was liberty for all men who could control themselves and would take responsibility for the state.But discovering freedom is not like discovering computers.It cannot be discov
6、ered once for all.If people do not prize it,and work for it,it will go.Constant watch is its price.Athens changed.It was a change that took place without being noticed though it was of the extreme importance,a spiritual change which affected the whole state.It had been the Athenians pride and joy to
7、 give to their city.That they could get material benefits from her never entered their minds.There had to be a complete change of attitude before they could look at the city as an employer who paid her citizens for doing her work.Now instead of men giving to the state,the state was to give to them.W
8、hat the people wanted was a government which would provide a comfortable life for them;and with this as the primary object,ideas of freedom and selfreliance and responsibility were neglected to the point of disappearing.Athens was more and more looked on as a cooperative business possessed of great
9、wealth in which all citizens had a right to share.Athens reached the point when the freedom she really wanted was freedom from responsibility.There could be only one result.If men insisted on being free from the burden of selfdependence and responsibility for the common good,they would cease to be f
10、ree.Responsibility is the price every man must pay for freedom.It is to be had on no other terms.Athens,the Athens of Ancient Greece,refused responsibility;she reached the end of freedom and was never to have it again.But,“the excellent becomes the permanent,” Aristotle said.Athens lost freedom fore
11、ver,but freedom was not lost forever for the world.A great American,James Madison,referred to:“The capacity (能力) of mankind for selfgovernment.” No doubt he had not an idea that he was speaking Greek.Athens was not in the farthest background of his mind,but once man has a great and good idea,it is n
12、ever completely lost.The Digital Age cannot destroy it.Somehow in this or that mans thought such an idea lives though unconsidered by the world of action.One can never be sure that it is not on the point of breaking out into action only sure that it will do so sometime.【语篇解读】文章讲述了自由的起源、演变和它在古代文化下的形态
13、和缺陷,以及自由给数字化世界所带来的挑战。1What does the underlined word “tyrannies” in Paragraph 2 refer to?ACountries where their people need help.BPowerful states with higher civilization.CSplendid empires where people enjoy freedom.DGovernments ruled with absolute power.答案D词义猜测题。画线单词后面的内容是对本单词进行的解释,因此不难看出选项D与这句话意思一致
14、,即“专政,暴君统治”。2People believing in freedom are those who _Aregard their life as their own businessBseek gains as their primary objectCbehave within the laws and value systemsDtreat others with kindness and pity答案C细节理解题。根据第三段中的“And Athenians willingly obeyed the written laws which they themselves passe
15、d,and the unwritten.和The Athenians never thought that a man was free if he could do what he wanted.”及最后一句可知,相信自由的人愿意遵守法律和价值体系的约束。3What change in attitude took place in Athens?AThe Athenians refused to take their responsibility.BThe Athenians no longer took pride in the city.CThe Athenians benefited
16、spiritually from the government.DThe Athenians looked on the government as a business.答案A细节理解题。由倒数第二段的内容可以看出古希腊的雅典人后来拒绝承担责任,那么他们的自由也走向尽头了。因此选A。4What does the sentence “There could be only one result.” in Paragraph 5 mean?AAthens would continue to be free.BAthens would cease to have freedom.CFreedom
17、would come from responsibility.DFreedom would stop Athens from selfdependence.答案B句意理解题。根据本段的最后一句可知,古希腊的雅典人拒绝承担责任,他们的自由也就走向了尽头,这就是唯一的结果,因此选B。5Why does the author refer to Aristotle and Madison?AThe author is hopeful about freedom.BThe author is cautious about selfgovernment.CThe author is skeptical o
18、f Greek civilization.DThe author is proud of mans capacity.答案A推理判断题。由最后一段中的“Athens lost freedom forever,but freedom was not lost forever for the world.”及“it is never completely lost”可知,作者最后引用他们的话是为了表明作者相信自由并不会随着古希腊雅典人的自由的消失而消失。因此选A。6What is the authors understanding of freedom?AFreedom can be more p
19、opular in the digital age.BFreedom may come to an end in the digital age.CFreedom should have priority over responsibility.DFreedom needs to be guaranteed by responsibility.答案D推理判断题。根据文章的内容,尤其是第五段的内容可知,责任与自由是相辅相成的,自由的存在离不开责任,故D项正确。Task 2:词汇积累1civilization n文明2rule over 统治3essential adj.基本的;必要的4liber
20、ty n自由5once for all一劳永逸地6selfreliance n自力更生7look on.as 把看作8cooperative adj. 合作的Task 3:攻克长难句1And Athenians willingly obeyed the written laws which they themselves passed,and the unwritten,which must be obeyed if free men live together.分析:这是一个主从复合句,主句为:Athenians willingly obeyed the written laws and the unwritten; 句中含有两个定语从句which they themselves passed和which must be obeyed if free men live together。2Athens reached the point when the freedom she really wanted was freedom from responsibility.分析:句中when引导定语从句,该从句中还含有定语从句she really wanted。