2009年考研英语冲刺阅读理解专项训练020-09年考研英语英语阅读理解-教育联展网

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　　Oil and Islam continue to define Saudi Arabia's room for manoeuvre. With global demand unlikely to wane in the foreseeable future and reserves elsewhere diminishing, oil will continue to keep the kingdom rich for decades to come. At the same time, the Saudis' attachment to their faith is not diminishing; it may even be growing stronger. But the faith itself is changing in subtle ways.
　　Having gone through waves of progress and retrenchment during its 73 years as a unified kingdom, Saudi Arabia is now well into another period of rapid change. This time, however, the well-oiled complacency of the previous big boom, in the 1970s, is largely gone. Four years ago, a survey in this newspaper argued that it might require internal shocks to jolt the Saudis into taking reform seriously. Those shocks have now arrived.
　　Since May 2003, when suicide bombers attacked a housing compound in Riyadh, terrorist violence has touched every corner of the kingdom, claiming some 200 lives. Saudi nationals, the most famous being Osama bin Laden, continue to be implicated in terrorist attacks abroad, most notably in Iraq. Yet far from rallying Saudis to the jihadist cause, terrorism has made them identify more closely with the state. More importantly, the violence has brought intense introspection and debate.
　　Long accustomed to blaming outside influences for all ills, Saudis now accept that the fixing needs to start at home. Aside from extremism, the problems of unemployment, poverty and the abuse of human rights have moved to the top of the national agenda. Even the most absolute of previous taboos, political reform, is being widely debated. In dozens of interviews with Saudis of all stripes, one phrase kept coming up: the question is no longer whether to reform/restructure/change, but how fast to do it.
　　The government's answer, to date, has been slowly, and not very surely. But this survey will argue that far from being a dinosaur nation, lumbering to extinction, Saudi Arabia is capable of rapid evolution. ~ On some important issues, such as the rules governing business, it is already far down the right track. On others, such as the ways it educates its youth and excludes women, the kingdom is only just beginning to shift course.
　　Most Saudis reckon it is premature to speak of democracy in their country; but there are myriad ways to emancipate citizens, from upholding the rule of law to making budgets more transparent and loosening the grip of security agencies over universities and the press. Instead of their old tactics of prevarication, slow consensus-building and co-optation, the A1 Sauds should try a new one: putting trust in their people.　　[438 words]
　　1. The 1st paragraph primarily tells us that Saudi Arabia______
　　A. will experience some change
　　B. still has room for manoeuvre
　　C. will attach closely to its faith
　　D. will remain rich for years to come
　　2. Some people argued that______is most needed for Saudi Arabias reform.
　　A. internal impact
　　B. another big boom
　　C. another wave of progress
　　D. the well-oiled complacency
　　3. The primary consequence of terrorist violence is______
　　A. the loss of many innocent lives
　　B. intense introspection and debate
　　C. closer identification with Saudi Arabia
　　D. the impact on every corner of Saudi Arabia
　　4. Saudis have gradually accepted the idea of______
　　A. abolishing extremism
　　B. fighting against terrorism
　　C. putting social reform into practice
　　D. blaming outside influences for all evils
　　5. Saudis hardly EXCEPT______
　　A. reform in education
　　B. upholding the rule of law
　　C. some emancipation of citizens
　　D. the rapid progress of democracy
　　难句透析
　　①With global demand unlikely to wane in the foreseeable future and”reserves elsewhere diminishing，oil will con— tinue to keep the kingdom rich for decades to come．
　　【结构】介词“with”后面跟有两个并列的宾语成分。
　　【释义】全球对石油。的需求在可以预见的未来不太可能下降，而且其他地方的石油储存正在逐渐减少，在今后几十年，石油将依然使沙特王国极其富有。
　　②Saudi nationals，[the most famous being Osama bin Laden]，continue to be implicated in terrorist attacks abroad， most notably in Iraq．
　　【结构】方括号部分是带逻辑主语“the most famous”的现在分词短语“being…”用做状语，起补充说明的作用。
　　【释义】在国外，特别是伊拉克，发生的恐怖主义袭击仍然牵涉到沙特阿拉伯侨民。其中最出名的是奥萨玛·本·拉登。
　　③Aside from extremism，the problems[of unemployment，poverty and the abuse of human rights]have moved to the top of the national agenda．Even the most absolute of previous taboos，political reform，is being widely debated．
　　【结构】方括号部分是后置介词短语，修饰“problems”。
　　【释义】除了极端主义，失业、贫困以及不尊重人权的问题都已经列入了国家的最高议事日程。甚至过去绝对的禁忌，政治改革，也在广泛议论中。
　　④But this survey will argue[that far from being a dinosaur nation，lumbering to
　　extinction，Saudi Arabia is capa— ble of rapid evolution]．
　　【结构】方括号部分是“argue”的宾语从句。“far from”后面跟有两个并列的动名词短语“being…”和“lumbering.
　　【释义】不过，本调查要说的是，沙特阿拉伯根本不是像恐龙一样的国度，慢慢走向死亡，沙特阿拉伯能够快速进步。
　　⑤Most Saudis reckon[it is premature to speak of democracy in their country]；but there are myriad ways to e— mancipate citizens，from upholding the rule of law to making budgets more transparent and loosening the grip of se— curity agencies over universities and the press．
　　【结构】本句是由分号和“but”连接的两个分句组成的并列句。方括号部分是“reckon”的宾语从句。动名词短语“upholding…”是介词“from”的宾语；动名词短语“making…”和“loosening…”是介词“to”的宾语。
　　【释义】大多数沙特阿拉伯人认为，在他们国家谈论民主还为时过早。但是，有种种方法可以使公民获得合法权利，比如，坚持法制、使预算更加透明、放松安全部门对大学和新闻界的控制等。
　　全文翻译
　　石油和伊斯兰教信仰仍在为沙特阿拉伯提供大做文章的空间。全球对石油的需求在可以预见的未来不太可能下降，而且其他地方的石油储存正在逐渐减少，在今后几十年，石油将依然使沙特王国极其富有。与此同时，沙特人对他们的信仰的依靠丝毫没有减弱；甚至还有日渐增强的趋势。但是他们的信仰也正从内部发生着细微的变化。
　　在其作为一个统一的王国的73年问，沙特阿拉伯既经历了进步也体验了退步，现在已经到了其进行快速变革的时代了。但是就这个时期来说，像20世纪70年代那样由大量石油输出带动的强劲增长给人们的满足感已经不复存在了。4年前，本报上刊登的一则调查就认为这个国家需要有一次内部的强震以惊醒其国人认真对待改革。而这些强震现在发生了。
　　自从2003年5月，利雅得的一所民居遭到自杀性炸弹袭击之后，恐怖主义暴力行径就在这个国家蔓延开来，迄今已夺去近200条生命。在国外，特别是伊拉克，发生的恐怖主义袭击仍然牵涉到沙特阿拉伯侨民。其中最出名的是奥萨玛·本·拉登。虽然还远不足以促使整个沙特国家加入伊斯兰圣战运动，恐怖主义的名声也越来越和这个国家紧密地联系在一起。更为重要的是，暴力行径引起了人们强烈的反省和争辩。
　　即便是长期以来总习惯将一切坏事都归罪于外部势力的影响，沙特人现在也开始接受国内有改革需要的现实。除了极端主义，失业、贫困以及不尊重人权的问题都已经列入了国家的最高议事日程。甚至过去绝对的禁忌，政治改革，也在广泛议论中。在一份对沙特各行业居民的调查中，有一个问题持续不断地呈现：现在的问题不是是否要改革、重建或变革，而是要以多快的速度开始做，考试大。
　　政府在此问题上的答复来得相当迟缓并且也不是言辞确凿。不过，本调查要说的是，沙特阿拉伯根本不是像恐龙一样的国度，慢慢走向死亡，沙特阿拉伯能够快速进步。。在一些重要的议题上，比如说指导商业运营的法则，早已偏离了正常的轨道。在其他问题上，比如说对年轻人的教育及对女性排挤等，国家正在着手进行改革。
　　大多数沙特阿拉伯人认为，在他们国家谈论民主还为时过早。但是，有种种方法可以使公民获得合法权利，比如，坚持法制、使预算更加透明、放松安全部门对大学和新闻界的控制等。除了他们惯用的支吾搪塞、迟缓的监控机制及选举等措施，沙特贵族们应试用一个新的策略：信任他们的国民。
　　超纲词汇
　　Complacency n．自满，自得，自鸣得意
　　cooptation n．选举
　　Dinosaur n．恐龙
　　Emancipate vt．释放，解放
　　Implicate vt．使牵连其中，含意，暗示
　　Introspection n．内省，反省，自省
　　Jihad n．圣战，吉哈德，伊斯兰教徒对异教徒的战争
　　Jolt v．摇晃
　　Lumber vi．沉重、缓慢地移动
　　Mandate n．选民授予政府的权力
　　Myriad adj．无数的，一万的，种种的
　　Premature adj．未成熟的，太早的，早熟的
　　prevarication n．支吾，搪塞
　　Retrenchment n．紧缩，节约
　　Wane vi．变小，亏缺，衰落，退潮，消逝，呈下弦
　　参考答案：1．A 2．A 3．B 4．C 5．D