Question

【题目】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

King Juan Carlos of Spain once insisted “kings don’t give up the throne(王位）, they die in their sleep.” But embarrassing scandals and the popularity of the republican left in the recent Euro-elections have forced him to eat his words and stand down. So does the Spanish crisis suggest that monarchy(君主制) is seeing its last days? Does that mean the writing is on the wall for all European royals, with their magnificent uniforms and majestic lifestyles?

The Spanish case provides arguments both for and against monarchy. When public opinion is particularly polarized, as it was following the end of the Franco regime, monarchs can rise above mere politics and symbolize a spirit of national unity.

It is this apparent transcendence（超越） of politics that explains monarchs continuing popularity as heads of state. And so, the Middle East excepted, Europe is the most monarch- filled region in the world, with 10 kingdoms (not counting Vatican City and Andorra). Most royal families have survived because they allow voters to avoid the difficult search for a non-controversial but respected public figure.

Even so, kings and queens undoubtedly have a downside. Symbolic of national unity as they claim to be, their very history and sometimes the way they behave today symbolizes outdated and indefensible privileges and inequalities. At a time when Thomas Piketty and other economists are warning of rising inequality and the increasing power of inherited wealth, it is strange that wealthy noble families should still be the symbolic heart of modern democratic（民主的）states.

The most successful monarchies try their best to abandon or hide their old noble ways. Princes and princesses have day-jobs and ride bicycles, not horses (or helicopters). Even so, these are wealthy families who party with the international 1%, and media interference makes it increasingly difficult to maintain the right image.

【1】According to the first two paragraphs, King Juan Carlos of Spain

A. used to enjoy high public support

B. was unpopular among European royals

C. eased his relationship with his rivals

D. gave up his throne in embarrassment

【2】Monarchs are kept as heads of state in Europe mostly

A. owing to their undoubted and respectable status

B. to achieve a balance between tradition and reality

C. to give voters more public figures to look up to

D. due to their everlasting political symbolizing

【3】Which of the following is shown to be strange, according to Paragraph 4?

A. The noble families’ excessive dependence on inherited wealth

B. The role of the nobility in modern democracies

C. The simple lifestyle of the noble families

D. The nobility’s sticking to their privileges

【4】Which of the following is the best title of the text?

A. Carlos, a good example of All European Monarchs

B. Europe, the most monarch-filled region in the world

C. Carlos, a Lesson for All European Monarchs

D. Europe, symbolic heart of modern democracy.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】A

【3】B

【4】C

【解析】

试题分析：本文属于议论文，用西班牙国王Carlos退位一事开篇，展开了对君主制是否穷途末路的探讨，并着重分析了欧洲各国当下君主的优劣势。

【1】D 细节理解题。根据开头二段中关于King Juan Carlos的描述集中在首段第二句提到“尴尬的丑闻以及共和的风行”(embarrassing scandals and the popularity of the republican)“迫使King Juan Carlos食言并退位”(forced him to eat his words and stand down)，被改写为D选项的“在尴尬中结束了他的君主统治”(ended his reign in embarrassment)。文章中没有提及其余三项。故D正确。

【2】A 推理判断题。注意本题问的是欧洲国家的君主被保留为国家领袖的原因或目的。heads of states出现在三段首句，第二句紧接着描述欧洲国家君主多，但第三段起才开始具体分析欧洲国家保留君主的原因。这句话中，通过与海湾国家与亚洲国家的对比，作者点明了欧洲国家王室存留下来的原因是：他们可以“让选民们不用去艰苦地寻找一个不受争议、受到尊敬的公众人物”(they allow voters to avoid the difficult search for a non-controversial but respected public figure);换言之，欧洲的王室就是这样一个“不受争议、受到尊敬的公众人物”的形象，给选民以精神寄托。non-controversial和respected对应A选项的undouted和respectable，status对应public figure。文章并未将王室的存在定义为“传统与现实的平衡”。故B项错误。据文章意，王室的存在是为了让选民们不用寻找更多公众人物。C与原文相反。三段首句明确提到王室的存在已经“超越了政治”，即不只是政治意义上的代表。D与原文相反。

【3】B本题问的是第四段中作者提到的一件奇怪的事情。odd同义对应第四段末句的bizarre，意为“奇怪的”;这是该题定位的关键。该句明确提到一件很奇怪的事情是“有钱的贵族家庭居然仍然是现代民主国家的核心象征”(wealthy aristocratic families should still be the symbolic heart of modern democratic states)，这被改写为了B选项提到的“贵族阶级在现代民主中扮演的角色”。wealthy aristocratic families与the nobility同义。故B正确。

【4】C 标题概括题。全文用西班牙国王Carlos退位一事开篇，展开了对君主制是否穷途末路的探讨，并着重分析了欧洲各国当下君主的优劣势。C很好地概括了这些要素。Carlos的故事只是开篇的引子，并非是全文主人公。故C项正确。