3．Ireland has had a very difficult history．The problems started in the 16th century when English ruler tried to conquer （征服） Ireland．For hundreds of years，the Irish people fought against the English，Finally，in 1921，the British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland．The result in that today there are two"Irelands"．Northern Ireland．in the north，is part of the United Kingdom．The Republic of Ireland，in the south in an independent country．
In the 1840s the main crop，picture，was affectord In dicesic and about 750，000peorle died of bunger．This，and a abortage （短缺） of work，forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA，the UK，Australia and Canada，As a result of these problern，the population fell from 8.2million in 1841to 6.6million in 1851．
For many years，the majority of Lnsh people earned their living as farners．Today，many people will work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices．Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside，where things move at a quieter and slower pace．
The lrish are famous for being warm-bearted and friendly．Oscar wilde．a famous lrish writer．once said that the lrish were"the greatest talkers since the Creeks"．Since independence，Ireland has revived （复兴）its own culture of music，language，literature and singing．Different areas have different styles of old lrish songs which are sung without instruments．Other kinds of lrish music use many different instruments such as the violin，whistles，etc．
68．What does the author tell us in Paragraph 1D．
A． How the lrish fought against the English．．
B． How Ireland gained independence
C． How English rulers tried to conquer Ireland．
D． How two"lrelands"came into being
69．We learn from the text that in lrelandA．
A．food shortages in the 1840s led to a decline in population
B．people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countrysids
C．it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker
D．different kinds of old lrish songs are all sung with instrnments
70．The last paragraph is mainly aboutB．
A．the lrish character B．lrish culture
C．lrish musical instruments D．a famous lrish writer
71．what can be the best title for the text？C
A．life in lreland
B．A Very Difficult History
C．lreland．past and present
D．The independence of lreland．
分析 本文主要介绍爱尔兰的历史与现状，特别是爱尔兰独立后文化的复兴．爱尔兰分为南爱尔兰和北爱尔兰两个部分，北爱尔兰是英国的一部分（大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国），南爱尔兰为爱尔兰共和国，于1921年脱离英国，取得独立．最后提到了爱尔兰的文化发展．
解答 68．D 段落大意题．根据第一段的"The result in that today there are two"Irelands"．Northern Ireland．in the north，is part of the United Kingdom．The Republic of Ireland，in the south in an independent country．"可知作者就是想告诉我们爱尔兰的历史及南爱尔兰和北爱尔兰是如何形成的，故答案选D．
69．A 细节理解题．根据第2段第1句话"In the 1840s the main crop，potatoes，was affected by disease and about 750，000 people died of bunger．"以及下文的意思可知：在19世纪40年代粮食短缺导致了人口的下降，故答案选A．
70．B 段落大意题．通读全段内容并根据段中的"Since independence，Ireland has revived （复兴）its own culture of music，language，literature and singing．"可知：最后一段主要说到爱尔兰音乐、语言、文学等与文化相关的话题，是有关于爱尔兰的文化的，互答案选B．
71．C 标题判断题．文章中没有详细讲述爱尔兰的独立，而是总结的爱尔兰的一段历史，故可以排除B和D两项；文章的第三段主要讲述的爱尔兰的生活，A项是对第三段大意的总结，不能够概括全文，可排除A项．通读全文可知文章介绍了爱尔兰的过去与现在，他的形成，以及在历史上受到的苦难和它的文化，故答案选C．
点评 本文是一篇历史文化类阅读．本类题型常用的方式是夹叙夹议．叙述的目的是为了议，所以要把握其议才是主要方面．阅读这类文章，先弄清其引入的话题，再弄清里面人物对其不同的看法，然后理解作者本身对话题的观点看法或思考．
