Question

    The most thoroughly studied intellectuals in the history of the new world are the ministers and political leaders of seventeenth-century New England. According to the standard history of American philosophy, nowhere else in colonial American was “so much important attached to intellectual pursuits.” According to many books and articles, New England’s leaders established the basic themes and preoccupations of an unfolding, dominant Puritan tradition in American intellectual life.

To take this approach to the New Englanders normally mean to start with the Puritans’ theological（神学的）innovations and their distinctive ideas about the church --- important subjects that we may not neglect. But in keeping with our examination of southern intellectual life, we may consider the original Puritans as carriers of European culture, adjusting to New would circumstances. The New England colonies were the scenes of important episodes in the pursuit of widely understood ideals of civility and virtuosity.

The early settlers of Massachusetts Bay included men of impressive education and influence in England. Besides the ninety or so learned ministers who came to Massachusetts church in the decade after 1629, there were political leaders like John Winthrop, an educated gentleman, lawyer, and official of the Crown before he journeyed to Boston. These men wrote and published extensively, reaching both New World and Old World audiences, and giving New English an atmosphere of intellectual earnestness.

We should not forget, however, that most New Englanders were less will educated. While few craftsmen or farmers, let alone dependents and servants, left literary compositions to be analyzed. Their thinking often had a traditional superstitions quality. A tailor named John Dane, who emigrated in the late 1630s, left an account of his reasons for leaving England that is filled with signs. Sexual confusion, economic frustrations, and religious hope --- all came together in a decisive moment when he opened the Bible, told his father the first line he saw would settle his fate, and read the magical words: “come out from among them, touch no unclean thing, and I will be your God and you shall be my people.” One wonders what Dane thought of the careful sermons explaining the Bible that he heard in Puritan churches.

Meanwhile, any settlers had slighter religious commitments than Dane’s, as one clergyman learned in confronting folk along the coast who mocked that they had not come to the New World for religion. “Our main end was to catch fish.”

1.The author notes that in the seventeenth-century New England______.

A.Puritan tradition dominated political life.

B.intellectual interests were encouraged.

C.Politics benefited much from intellectual endeavors.

D.intellectual pursuits enjoyed a liberal environment.

2.Which of the following meaning is closest to that of the underlined word in para.2?

A.a virtue B.an intelligent mind

C.a taste for fine arts D.a nice character

3.It is suggested in paragraph 2 that New Englanders __________.

A.experienced a comparatively peaceful early history.

B.brought with them the culture of the Old World

C.paid little attention to southern intellectual life

D.were obsessed with religious innovations

4.The early ministers and political leaders in Massachusetts Bay______.

A.were famous in the New World for their writings

B.gained increasing importance in religious affairs

C.abandoned high positions before coming to the New World

D.created a new intellectual atmosphere in New England

5.The story of John shows that less well-educated New Englanders were often_________.

A.influenced by superstitions

B.troubled with religious beliefs

C.puzzled by church sermons

D.frustrated with family earnings

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.B

4.D

5.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。在新大陆的历史上，被研究的最彻底的学者是17世纪新英格兰的牧师和政治领袖们。为了了解他们，首先研究清教徒的神学创新和对于教会的独特看法。在追求一些广泛认同的文化艺术理想过程中，新英格兰殖民地发生了许多重要的事情。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第一段第2句According to the standard history of American philosophy, nowhere else in colonial American was “so much important attached to intellectual pursuits.可知，“据标准的美国哲学史记载，美洲殖民地别的地方都没有‘如此地重视智力修养’”。新英格兰推崇对知识的追求，即鼓励培养对知识的兴趣，因此B选项正确。A选项对原文第一段最后一句话进行了篡改，但改得不符原意。C选项从原文的表述中无法推断出。D选项文章中没有提及。故选B。

2.词义猜测题。根据题干将答案定位到文章第二段最后一句话The New England colonies were the scenes of important episodes in the pursuit of widely understood ideals of civility and virtuosity。分析句子可知，virtuosity与civility并列平行，civility可以译为“文化，礼仪”，那么就只有C选项的翻译能与之平行。故选C。

3.细节理解题。根据文章第二段第2句话But in keeping with our examination of southern intellectual life, we may consider the original Puritans as carriers of European culture, adjusting to New would circumstances.中的可知，为了与我们对南部思想生活的研究保持一致，“我们”可以将最初的清教徒们视作欧洲文化的传递者，他们根据新大陆的情况进行了调整。original Puritans即对于B选项中的the culture of the Old World，故B项正确。

4.细节理解题。根据文章第三段最后一句话These men wrote and published extensively, reaching both New World and Old World audiences, and giving New English an atmosphere of intellectual earnestness.可知，许多牧师和受过良好教育的领袖大量撰写、出版书籍，在新旧大陆都有读者，这给新英格兰带来了热衷思想研究的氛围。即“在新英格兰创造了一种新的学术氛围”。故D项正确。

5.细节理解题。根据文章第四段第3句话Their thinking often had a traditional superstitions quality可知，“他们的思想中往往有一种传统的迷信成份。”而“他们”即代表像John Dane一样没有受过良好教育的人。故A项正确。