阅读模拟题第一页

以下就是SAT阅读理解模拟练习题的详细内容，考生可针对文中介绍的方法进行有针对性的备考。

　　Passage 1

　　Had Dr. Johnson written his own Life, in

　　conformity with the opinion which he has given, that

　　every man's life may be best written by himself; had

　　he employed in the preservation of his own history,

　　5 that clearness of narration and elegance of language in

　　which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the

　　world would probably have had the most perfect

　　example of biography that was ever exhibited. But

　　although he at different times, in a desultory manner,

　　10 committed to writing many particulars of the progress

　　of his mind and fortunes, he never had persevering

　　diligence enough to form them into a regular

　　composition. Of these memorials a few have been

　　preserved; but the greater part was consigned by him

　　15 to the flames, a few days before his death.

　　As I had the honour and happiness of enjoying

　　his friendship for upwards of twenty years; as I had

　　the scheme of writing his life constantly in view; as

　　he was well apprised of this circumstance, and from

　　20 time to time obligingly satisfied my enquiries, by

　　communicating to me the incidents of his early years;

　　as I acquired a facility in recollecting, and was very

　　assiduous in recording, his conversation, of which the

　　extraordinary vigour and vivacity constituted one of

　　25 the first features of his character; and as I have spared

　　no pains in obtaining materials concerning him, from

　　every quarter where I could discover that they were to

　　be found, and have been favoured with the most

　　liberal communications by his friends; I flatter myself

　　30 that few biographers have entered upon such a work

　　as this, with more advantages; independent of literary

　　abilities, in which I am not vain enough to compare

　　myself with some great names who have gone before

　　me in this kind of writing.

　　35 Wherever narrative is necessary to explain,

　　connect, and supply, I furnish it to the best of my

　　abilities; but in the chronological series of Johnson's

　　life, which I trace as distinctly as I can, year by year, I

　　produce, wherever it is in my power, his own minutes,

　　40 letters, or conversation, being convinced that this

　　mode is more lively, and will make my readers better

　　acquainted with him, than even most of those were

　　who actually knew him, but could know him only

　　partially; whereas there is here an accumulation of

　　45 intelligence from various points, by which his

　　character is more fully understood and illustrated.

　　Indeed I cannot conceive a more perfect mode

　　of writing any man's life, than not only relating all the

　　most important events of it in their order, but

　　50 interweaving what he privately wrote, and said, and

　　thought; by which mankind are enabled as it were to

　　see him alive, and to 'live over each scene' with him,

　　as he actually advanced through the several stages of

　　his life. Had his other friends been as diligent and

　　55 ardent as I was, he might have been almost entirely

　　preserved. As it is, I will venture to say that he will be

　　seen in this work more completely than any man who

　　has ever yet lived.

　　And he will be seen as he really was, for I

　　60 profess to write, not his panegyric, which must be all

　　praise, but his Life; which, great and good as he was,

　　must not be supposed to be entirely perfect. To be as

　　he was, is indeed subject of panegyric enough to any

　　man in this state of being; but in every picture there

　　65 should be shade as well as light, and when I delineate

　　him without reserve, I do what he himself

　　recommended, both by his precept and his example:

　　'If the biographer writes from personal

　　knowledge, and makes haste to gratify the public

　　70 curiosity, there is danger lest his interest, his fear, his

　　gratitude, or his tenderness, overpower his fidelity,

　　and tempt him to conceal, if not to invent. There are

　　many who think it an act of piety to hide the faults or

　　failings of their friends, even when they can no longer

　　75 suffer by their detection; we therefore see whole ranks

　　of characters adorned with uniform panegyric, and not

　　to be known from one another but by extrinsic and

　　casual circumstances. If we owe regard to the memory

　　of the dead, there is yet more respect to be paid to

　　80 knowledge, to virtue, and to truth.'

　　Passage 2

　　Nobody ever wrote a dull autobiography. If one may

　　make such a bull, the very dullness would be

　　interesting. The autobiographer has two qualifications

　　of supreme importance in all literary work. He is

　　85 writing about a topic in which he is keenly interested,

　　and about a topic upon which he is the highest living

　　authority. It may he reckoned, too, as a special felicity

　　that an autobiography, alone of all books, may be

　　more valuable in proportion to the amount of

　　90 misrepresentation which it contains. We do not

　　wonder when a man gives a false character to his

　　neighbour, but it is always curious to see how a man

　　contrives to present a false testimonial to himself. It is

　　pleasant to he admitted behind the scenes and trace

　　95 the growth of that singular phantom which is the

　　man's own shadow cast upon the coloured and

　　distorting mists of memory. Autobiography for these

　　reasons is so generally interesting, that I have

　　frequently thought with the admirable Benvenuto

　　100 Cellini that it should be considered as a duty by all

　　eminent men; and, indeed, by men not eminent. As

　　every sensible man is exhorted to make his will, he

　　should also be bound to leave to his descendants some

　　account of his experience of life. The dullest of us

　　105 would in spite of themselves say something

　　profoundly interesting, if only by explaining how they

　　came to be so dull--a circumstance which is

　　sometimes in great need of explanation. On reflection,

　　however, we must admit that autobiography done

　　110 under compulsion would he in danger of losing the

　　essential charm of spontaneity. The true

　　autobiography is written by one who feels an

　　irresistible longing for confidential expansion; who is

　　forced by his innate constitution to unbosom himself

　　115 to the public of the kind of matter generally reserved

　　for our closest intimacy.

阅读模拟题第二页

　　1. It can be inferred that Dr. Johnson

　　A. wrote many biographies

　　B. wrote his own autobiography

　　C. was opposed to autobiography

　　D. did not want Boswell to write about him

　　E. encouraged Boswell to destroy his papers

　　2. In passage I, the author, Boswell, seems most proud of his

　　A. literary abilities

　　B. friendship with an eminent man

　　C. thoroughness in obtaining biographical materials

　　D. good memory

　　E. personal knowledge of the life of Johnson

　　3. The writer of passage I apparently believes all of the following except

　　A. it is difficult for any individual to know any man completely

　　B. letters and conversations are especially interesting

　　C. other friends should also have recorded Johnson’s conversation

　　D. Johnson was a great man despite his faults

　　E. it is not necessary to follow a chronological approach to biography

　　4. ‘Panegyric’ (line 60) most nearly means

　　A. eulogy

　　B. myth

　　C. fame

　　D. portrait

　　E. caricature

　　5. In the quotation in the last paragraph of passage1, Dr. Johnson is concerned that biographers sometimes tend to do all of the following except

　　A. fabricate details of a man’s life

　　B. put pleasing the public too high in their priorities

　　C. conceal facts out of a false sense of respect

　　D. tend to over-praise their subjects

　　E. speak ill of the dead

　　6. The word ‘bull’ (line 82) would most likely mean

　　A. generalization

　　B. paradoxical statement

　　C. general rule

　　D. confession

　　E. ridiculous assertion

　　7. The ‘phantom’ (line 95) is a person’s

　　A. uniquely clear perception of himself

　　B. distortion of his memories to suit the impression he wishes to create

　　C. tendency to denigrate others

　　D. enhancement of autobiography by authentic memories

　　E. growing awareness of his own importance

　　8. The author of passage II mentions Cellini (line 100) as

　　A. an eminent yet dull man

　　B. a biographer of distinction

　　C. a confidant of the author

　　D. an authority who has advocated the writing of autobiography

　　E. a lawyer who thought that wills should contain autobiographical information

　　9. The author of passage 2 seems to think that misrepresentation in an autobiography

　　I is to be expected

　　II adds to the interest

　　III reveals insight into character

　　A. I only

　　B. II only

　　C. I and II only

　　D. II and III only

　　E. I, II and III

　　10. In the sentence ‘On reflection...’, (lines 108-110) the author

　　A. qualifies his opinion stated earlier

　　B. defines the most important attribute of biography

　　C. introduces his main point

　　D. enlarges on his theme

　　E. identifies a problem

　　11. The author of passage 2 and Dr. Johnson would probably have agreed that

　　I an autobiographer is the greatest authority on his own life

　　II autobiography is always misleading

　　III biography tends to over-praise

　　A. I only

　　B. II only

　　C. III only

　　D. I and II only

　　E. II and III only

　　12. It can be inferred that Boswell would be most surprised by the contention of the author of passage 2 that

　　A. all eminent men should write an autobiography

　　B. people may misrepresent the character of others

　　C. dull men can be profoundly interesting

　　D. a man is the highest authority on his own life

　　E. autobiographies are profoundly interesting

　　13. Boswell and the author of passage two differ in tone and attitude to their subjects in that Boswell

　　A. is more objective whereas Stephen is more rhetorical

　　B. is more confident whereas Stephen is more hesitant

　　C. writes more impersonally, whereas Stephen writes formally

　　D. is more pompous, whereas Stephen does not always expect to be taken seriously

　　E. writes in a more literary style, whereas Stephen’s writing is more expository

　　本套SAT阅读练习题参考答案在下一页

参考答案

　　1.Correct Answer: A

　　Explanation:

　　The first sentence informs us that Dr. Johnson wrote many biographies. It is stated indirectly in the phrase ‘ embalmed so many persons’, which is why you are asked to ‘infer’ the answer.

　　2.Correct Answer: C

　　Explanation:

　　Boswell (in lines 22-35) flatters himself that he has recollected well, and collected many materials, which seems closest to thoroughness in obtaining biographical materials.

　　3.Correct Answer: E

　　Explanation:

　　Since this is an ‘except question’, four of the choices will be things he believes and the fifth, the right answer, something not true. In this case it is clear from line 37 onwards, that the author thinks the chronological approach is the best. We can see that the answer stating that a chronological approach is not necessary, does not fit in with his beliefs, and hence this is the right answer.

　　4.Correct Answer: A

　　Explanation:

　　The same sentence tells us that panegyric ‘must be all praise’. The word eulogy mans strong praise, and is the correct answer.

　　5.Correct Answer: E

　　Explanation:

　　Dr. Johnson is concerned that biographers over-praise their subjects. He believes that they are reluctant to ‘speak ill of the dead’, hence answer E. Note that in ‘except’ questions you are looking for a wrong statement.

　　6.Correct Answer: B

　　Explanation:

　　The word bull is coupled with the expression ‘the very dullness would be interesting. This is an apparently contradictory statement, or paradox. (One of the definitions of ‘bull’ in the dictionary is an ‘illogical statment’.)

　　7.Correct Answer: B

　　Explanation:

　　The phantom is ‘the man’s own shadow cast upon the colored and distorting mists of memory.’ From this statement we infer that people distort their memories in autobiographies. Answer B.

　　8.Correct Answer: D

　　Explanation:

　　The author states, ‘I have I have frequently thought with the admirable Benvenuto Cellini that it should be considered as a duty by all eminent men’ - here ‘it’ refers to the writing of an autobiography. Hence answer D.

　　9.Correct Answer: E

　　Explanation:

　　The author apparently believes that people distort or misrepresent when writing their autobiography. He seems to think this is to be expected (line 87 - a special felicity of autobiography), interesting (line 98), and revealing (line 94 - we are ‘admitted behind the scenes). So all are correct.

　　10.Correct Answer: A

　　Explanation:

　　Earlier he has stated that everyone should write an autobiography, and now he is stating that people should not be compelled to do so. He is, therefore, modifying, or qualifying, his position. (Note this usage of ‘qualify’; it is common on SAT)

　　11.Correct Answer: A

　　Explanation:

　　Sentence 1 passage one, and passage two lines 86-87 both indicate that the autobiographer is the best authority on his own life. Point II is not correct because the word ‘always’ is too strong. Point III is not true of both because passage two is talking about autobiography not biography.

　　12.Correct Answer: C

　　Explanation:

　　Boswell is particularly concerned with eminent men (line 6), and wishes to record what will be of greatest interest to readers. It would be difficult to imagine that he would believe that a dull man would be interesting. (Note that the tone of passage 2 is ironical, and so the writer is writing for effect - hence most people would not agree with him that dull people are interesting, but they would be entertained by his ideas.)

　　13.Correct Answer: D

　　Explanation:

　　Boswell seems pompous because he praises himself, and is proud of his work. Stephen is writing for effect (his tone is ironical) and does not always expect to be taken seriously, especially when he talks about the value of misrepresentation, and the interest in dullness.