Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (35 minutes) Passage 1 Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:
One day in 1935 the management of Britian’s Southern Railway (as it was then called) announced its intention to close the branch line from Lynton to Barnstable in North Devon. The proposal was received by the local inhabitants with angry protest. For them, the tall-chimneyed locomotives and the little flower-bordered stations of Devon had become as much of an institution as the village church or tavern. Moreover, the line ran through the heart of a popular tourist district. What would the holidaymaker do without it? Closing down the railway line had been unthinkable, yet now some busybody official in remote London was threatening to destroy it with a stroke of the pen.
Mounting local opposition resulted in a meeting at Barnstaple, where the crowed was joined by very vocal protestors from the other end of the line at Lynton.The meeting seemed to be going well for the railway supporters until the chairman politely inquired how many people from Lynton had traveled to Barnstaple by train. Out of the embarrassed silence that followed emerged the painful truth that, to a man, those who had come from Lynton to fight for the railway had come by highway. The fate of the Lynton and Barnstaple branch line was sealed.
This sad little story is typical of the attitude of many Englishmen toward their railways. Dissatisfied with the age of sheet metal, plastics, and reinforced concrete in which we find ourselves, we long more and more for the substantial, self-confident, and inspired products of the Victorian era. Of that age, Britain’s railways are the most eloquent and enduring reminders.
21.One of the arguments against closing the railway line was that____. A) fewer tourists would come into the area B) people from outlying districts attend religious services C) the economy of the people would suffer greatly D) it would be difficult to get from Lynton to Barnstaple {} 22.Who objected to the closing of the railway branch line? A) Barnstaple people only. B) Workers of the Southern Railway. C) People of both Barnstaple and Lynton. D) The management of the Southern Railway. {} 23.What is the author’s reaction to the people who called the town meeting? A) He is amused by their political efforts. B) He is sympathetic to their cause. C) He is encouraged by their success. D) He is critical of their attitudes. {} 24.The author seems to think that railways are reminders of the____. A) personal concern and solid beauty of a past age B) ugliness and oppression that modern society has overcome C) benefits that the machine age has brought to man D) growing dislike in England of the Victorian age {} 25.The passage suggests that the Southern Railway of Britain is now ____. A) controlled by the local people B) in financial difficult C) under a different name D) financially sound {} Passage One 短文大意 文章叙述了英国南方铁路公司因宣布关闭从林登到邦斯太博之间的铁路引起了一场抗议风波。从这个悲伤的小故事中可以看出当年英国人对他们铁路的态度。从中现代人也可以得到某些启示：我们不再满足于我们目前所处的时代，而以往的，实实在在的东西却令人难以忘怀。 21. 答案A。【参考译文】反对关闭铁路所争论的理由之一是什么？【试题分析】本题为理解判断题，需要根据关键词语进行推理。【详细解答】在短文第一段里有一句话：Moreover, the line ran through the heart of popular tourist district. What would the holiday maker do without it? (这条路线穿过一个著名的旅游中心，没有了它，那些假日的游客怎么办？)从这里不难看出这是反对关闭铁路所持的理由之一，故A为正确答案。 22. 答案C。【参考译文】是谁反对关闭这条铁路支线的？【试题分析】本题为理解判断题，需要根据关键词语进行推理。【详细解答】文章第二段开头说得很清楚：Mounting local oppsition resulted in a meeting at Barnstaple, where the crowd was joined by very local protestors from the other end of the line at Lynton. (当地反对的浪潮高如山，于是在Barnstaple召开了大会，铁路另一端的Lynton来的人加入了这个行列。) 这就清楚地说明这条铁路的关闭遭到了来自两个地方人的强烈抗议，即Barnstaple和Lynton的人们，故C为正确答案。 23. 答案D。【参考译文】作者对召开这次大会的人们的态度有何反应？【试题分析】本题考查对作者意图的理解。【详细解答】作者对召开这次大会的人们持批评态度。这可以从文章第三段文字中所表达出来的语气中看得出来。当大会主席问到从Lynton来的人有多少是乘火车来的时候，人群中竟鸦雀无声，他们都是由公路乘汽车来的。这段文字的叙述充分表达了作者对这些人所持的批评态度，故D为正确答案。 24. 答案A。【参考译文】作者似乎认为铁路成了什么纪念品了？【试题分析】本题考查对作者意图的理解。【详细解答】从文章的最后一段，特别是最后一句话，可以判断出作者的意图和想法。Of that age, Britain’s railways are the most eloquent and enduring reminders.(当年，英国的铁路成了最动人心弦、最令人依依不舍、缅怀往事的纪念品了)。故A为正确答案。 25. 答案C。【参考译文】文章说明英国南方铁路现在____。【试题分析】本题考查对文章细节的理解能力。需要根据关键词语进行推理。【详细解答】文章一开头，就明确告诉读者：One day in 1935 the management of Britain’s Southern Railway (as it was called)announced…（1935年的一天，英国南方铁路公司(当时的名称)宣布…）。这里的关键句子是it was called，言外之意是：过去曾经叫南方铁路公司，现在不是这个名字，故C为正确答案。
attend religious services
