4．You have signed on for months of hard work．You're far from home．The pay is bad．The food is worse．You find rare comfort in the simple songs that you and your work mates sing．
This is what a sailor's life was like in the 1800s．The songs sung aboard ships were called sea shanties．You have probably heard a shanty or two yourself．Many of these songs have lasted through the years．They can often be found in surprising places today．
Sea Shanties Then…
Sea shanties were valuable friends to sailors．Some shanties，such as"Blow the Man Down，"had lively words and melodies．They broke up the boredom of long trips．Other shanties，including one called"Oh，Shenandoah，"had a sadder tone．They helped seafarers express longing and loneliness．Still other shanties，such as"Leave Her，Johnny，"let sailors complain about their hard lives．
But the first job of the sea shanty was to help the men work as a team．Ships had sails that were controlled by a system of moving ropes．For many jobs，all of the sailors had to pull on the ropes at once．
When faced with such a job，the shantyman，or song leader，began a tune．The crew joined in on the chorus，and it might have sounded like a playful sing-along．But when the sailors came to a certain beat，they knew it was the signal to pull together with all their might．
Raising or lowering the anchor called for a rhythm with a slow，steady motion．Then，the shantyman would choose a shanty with a slow，steady beat to match the job．Each duty on the sailing ship had its own rhythm and its own kind of song．
…and Sea Shanties Now
Sea shanties have been passed down to us in much the same way as folk stories．Long ago，someone came up with a memorable idea and melody．Others repeated the shanty，often adding changes along the way．
Over time，people saw the sea shanty for the treasure it was．Like any treasure，shanties were collected．Many were written down in books．
Where do the old shanties appear now？Today's musical artists love the fun，beauty，and history of these songs．Many musicians，including Bob Dylan and Harry Belafonte，have their own versions of"Oh，Shenandoah．"One group，the Robert Shaw Chorale，recorded a collection of shanties．
In Hollywood，shanties serve as a symbol of the sea．A fisherman sings the shanty"Spanish Ladies"in the film Jaws．The cartoon character Woody Woodpecker whistles"Blow the Man Down"when he finds himself aboard a pirate's ship．
Today，shanties tell us about shipboard life more than one hundred years ago．They help us understand what the working sailor sang and perhaps thought about．
So the next time you're doing a boring task，try making up a tune to go along with it．Time may pass more quickly，and your job may seem easier．Also，you may understand why sailors loved those old songs of the sea．
41．The main purpose of the sea shanty in the 1800s wasB．
A．to communicate with passing ships
B．to help sailors work together as a team
C．to allow sailors to complain about the food
D．to give sailors an opportunity to record their music
42．Today，sea shanties are mainly usedD．
A．to provide material for musical artists to record
B．to provide a source of music for Hollywood films
C．to help sailors work together aboard modem ships
D．to help people understand the lives of sailors of the past
43．The author uses two subheadings（小标题） within the article in order toC．
A．compare sea shanties to modem sailing songs
B．describe how popular sea shanties are with musicians
C．compare how sea shanties have been used over the years
D．describe how sea shanties have influenced Hollywood films
44．Which of these topics would most probably be included in this articleC？
A．The work of sailors today．
B．The cost of sailing ships in the 1800s．
C．Other sailing duties that were made easier by sea shanties．
D．Some music studios where sea shanties are recorded today．
45．According to information in the article，a movie director today would most likely use a shantyA．
A．to make a scene about sailors more realistic
B．to give a musician a chance to record the song
C．to make the crew's daily chores pass more quickly
D．to express the loneliness of making a film away from home．
分析 本文运用说明文中较常用的比较法，讲述的水手小调的产生及过去与现在的对比．水手之歌不仅仅代表当时水手的生活更能排解他们海航的孤独．
解答 41．B．细节理解题．根据第四段"But the first job of the sea shanty was to help the men work as a team"可知，传唱水手小调的目的是帮他们象团队一样进行工作．故选B．
42．D．细节理解题．根据倒数第二段"Today，shanties tell us about shipboard life more than one hundred years ago"可知，今天这些水手之歌可以帮助我们理解一百年前水手的生活，故选D．
43．C．推理预测题．文中的两个副小标题分别为"Sea Shanties Then"水手小调的过去…和"Sea Shanties Now"水手小调的现在…可见，文章采用这些副标题是为了告诉我们水手小调的发展变迁，方便比较．故选C．
44．C．推理预测题．根据最后一段"So the next time you're doing a boring task，try making up a tune to go along with it．Time may pass more quickly，and your job may seem easier"可知，文章提到下次当你做令人厌烦的工作时，唱着水手之歌，时间会过得很快，海航的工作也就感觉容易很多，可推测C项主题更易出现在文章中．故选C．
45．A．推理预测题．根据倒数第三段"In Hollywood，shanties serve as a symbol of the sea"可知，在好莱坞，水手小调是海上生活的标志，可推测，电影导演能制作一个水手更现实的生活．故选A．
点评 本文是人文地理类的说明文．本文属于解释说明文的一种．说明文的解题关键在于抓住文章第一段内容，通常该部分就是文章的中心思想．说明文是对事物的形状、性质、特征、成果或功用等进行介绍，解释或阐述的文章．把握所说明事物的特征和本质是理解说明文的关键．学生应该挖掘寓意，掌握中心思想，推出结论．要立足于文章整体，再迅速读一遍短文，短文中的问题和答案的设置前后都是相关联的，有着一定的连续性，体现着文章的基本脉络．
