2017年成人学位英语考试阅读理解练习（二）

　　Concern with money, and then more money, in order to buy the conveniences and luxuries of modern life, has brought great changes to the lives of most Frenchmen. More people are working than ever before in France. In the cities the traditional leisurely midday meal is disappearing. Offices, shops, and factories are discovering the greater efficiency of a short lunch hour in company lunchrooms. In almost all lines of work emphasis now falls on ever-increasing output. Thus the "typical" Frenchman produces more, earns more, and buys more consumer goods than his counterpart of only a generation ago. He gains in creature comforts and ease of life.What he loses to some extent is his sense of personal uniqueness, or individuality.

　　Some say that France has been Americanized. This is because the United States is a world symbol of the technological society and its consumer products. The so-called Americanization of France has its critics. They fear that "assembly-life" will lead to the disappearance of the pleasures of the more graceful and leisurely (but less productive) old French style. What will happen, they ask, to taste the elegance, and the cultivation of the good things in life—to joy in the smell of a freshly picked apple,a stroll(散步)by the river,or just happy hours of conversation in a local cafe?

　　Since the late 1950's life in France has indeed taken on qualities of rush, tension, and the pursuit of material gain. Some of the strongest critics of the new way of life are the young, especially university students. They are concerned with the future, and they fear that France is threatened by the triumph of this competitive, goods-oriented culture. Occasionally, they have reacted against the trend with considerable violence.

　　In spite of the critics, however, countless Frenchmen are committed to keeping France in the forefront of the modern economic world. They find that the present life brings more rewards, conveniences,and pleasures than that of the past. They believe that a modem,industrial France is preferable to the old.

　　1.Which of the following is Not related to the new French way of life?

　　A. Shorter lunch hour.

　　B. Greater output.

　　C. Creature comforts.

　　D. Leisurely cafe talk.

　　参考答案：D

　　详解：答案D.从第一段三、四句可知，A、B两项是法国新的生活方式所带来的结果。第一段倒数两句指出，他获得了舒服和自在的生活，但在一定程度上失去了个性。可见，C项也属于新的生活方式。只有D项属于旧的生活方式。因此D项为此题答案。

　　2.Which of the following is NOT true about Frenchmen?

　　A. Many of them prefer the modern life style.

　　B. They actually enjoy working at the assembly line.

　　C. They are more concerned with money than before.

　　D. They are more competitive than the older generation.

　　参考答案：B

　　详解：答案B.从最后一段可知A项说法正确，从第一、二段可知C、D两项说法也对。从文章中可知，由于法国人更关心钱，他们的生活节奏加快，工作效率提高，但文中并没有指出他们很喜欢这种流水线的工作，而且有些人对这种变化持反对态度，故A项不对。因此B项为此题答案。

　　3.The passage suggests that _____.

　　A. in pursuing material gains the French are suffering losses elsewhere

　　B. it's now unlikely to see a Frenchman enjoying a stroll by the river

　　C. the French are fed up with the smell of freshly picked apples

　　D. great changes have occurred in the life style of all Frenchmen

　　参考答案：A

　　详解：答案A.从第一段的最后可知A项说法正确。B、C、D三项说法过于片面，过于绝对，故不对。因此A项为正确答案。

　　4.Which of the following is true about the critics?

　　A. Critics are greater in number than people enjoying the new way of life.

　　B. Student critics are greater in number than critics in other fields.

　　C. Student critics have, on occasion, resorted to violent means against the trend.

　　D. Critics are concerned solely with the present and not the future.

　　参考答案：C

　　详解：答案C.第三段第三、四句指出，学生关心未来，担心法国受到这种充满竞争的、商品化文化的威胁。偶尔，他们用相当的暴力来反对这种趋势。可见，C项说法与此一致，D项不对。从最后一段中可知A，B两项均不对。因此C项为正确答案。

　　5.Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?

　　A. Changes in French way of life.

　　B. Criticism of the new life style.

　　C. The Americanization of France.

　　D. Features of the new way of life.

　　参考答案：A

　　详解：答案A.文章主要是讲述法国生活方式的变化，作者的态度是客观的，没有对这种变化发表个人看法，没有带任何主观色彩。因此A项为正确答案。