大學(xué)英語四級考試精讀薈萃100篇

1、精選優(yōu)質(zhì)文檔-傾情為你奉上大學(xué)英語四級考試精讀薈萃100篇(44):露天演出的服裝Pageants are usually conceived on a fairly large scale, often under the auspices of some local or civic authority or at any rate in connection with local groups of some kind. This sometimes means that there is an allocation of funds available for the purpose

2、of mounting the production, though unfortunately this will usually be found to be on the meager side and much ingenuity will have to be used to stretch it so that all performers can be adequately clothed.Most pageants have a historical flavour as they usually come about through the celebration of th

3、e anniversary of some event of historic importance, or the life or death of some local worthy. Research among archives and books in the public library will probably prove very useful and produce some workable ideas which will give the production an especially local flavour. From the first economy wi

4、ll have to be practiced because there are usually a great number of people to dress. Leading characters can be considered individually in the same way as when designing for a play; but the main body of the performers will need to be planned in groups and the massed effect must be always borne in min

5、d.Many pageants take place in daylight in the open air. This is an entirely different problem from designing costumes which are going to be looked at under artificial lighting; for one thing, scenes viewed in the daylight are subject to many more distractions. No longer is everything around cut out

6、by the surrounding darkness, but instead it is very easy to be aware of disturbing movement in the audience of behind the performers. Very theatrically conceived clothes do not always look their best when seen in a daylight setting of trees, verdant lawns and old ivy-covered walls; the same goes for

7、 costumes being worn in front of the mellow colors of stately homes. The location needs to be studied and then a decision can be made as to what kinds of colors and textures will harmonize best with the surroundings and conditions and then to carry this out as far as possible on the funds available.

8、If money is available to dress the performers without recourse to their own help in the provision of items, it is best to arrange for all the cutting and pinning together of the costumes to be done by one or two experienced people than to be given out to the groups and individuals for completion. Wh

9、en there is little or no money at all, the garments need to be reduced to the basic necessities. Cloaks and shawls become invaluable, sheets and large bath towels and bath sheets are admirable for draping. Unwanted curtains and bed spreads can be cut to make tunics, robes and skirts. These are parti

10、cularly valuable if they are of heavy fabrics such as velvet or chenille.Colors should be massed together so that there are contrasting groups of dark and light, this will be found to help the visual result substantially. Crowds of people gathered together in a jumble of colors will be ground to loo

11、k quite purposeless and will lack dramatic impact.The use of numbers of identical head-dresses, however simply made, are always effective when working with groups. If these are made of cardboard and painted boldly the cost can be almost negligible. Helmets, hats and plumes will all make quite a show

12、 even if the costumes are only blandest or sheets cleverly draped. The same can be said of the use of banners, shields and poles with stiff pennants and garlandsanything which will help to have a unifying effect. Any kind of eye-catching device will always go with a flourish and add excitement to th

13、e scenes.1. The main idea of this passage isA. Pageants. B. Costumes on the stage.C. Costumes for pageants. D. How to arrange a pageant.2. It can be inferred that the most important factor in costume design isA. money. B. color. C. harmony D. texture3. Why will much ingenuity have to be required in

14、costume design?A. Because pageants take place in daylight in the open air.B. Because different characters require different costumes.C. Because the colors and textures must be in harmony with the setting.D. Because an allocation of the funds available is usually rather small.4. Why do most pageants

15、have a historical flavour?A. Because most pageants take place for celebration.B. Many pageants take place for amusement.C. A lot of pageants take place for religion.D. Because pageants usually take place for competition.Vocabulary1. conceive 設(shè)想，想象to be conceived 設(shè)想好的，構(gòu)思好的2. under the auspices of 在的主

16、辦下3. meager 貧乏的，不足的4. mount 登上，制作，上演5. flavour 風(fēng)味，風(fēng)格，情趣6. archive(s) 檔案(館)7. distraction 使人分心的事8. ivy 常春藤9. mellow 柔和的10. recourse (to) 依賴，求助于11. drape 覆蓋，披上12. invaluable 無價的，非常貴重的13. tunic (古時)長達膝蓋的外衣，穿在盔甲上的戰(zhàn)袍14. chenille 繩絨絨(織品)15. jumble 混亂，搞亂16. pennant 細(xì)長三角旗17. garland 花環(huán)，花冠難句譯注1. This sometim

17、es means that there is an allocation of funds available for the purpose of mounting the production, though unfortunately this will usually be found to be on the meager side and much ingenuity will have to be used to stretch it so that all performers can be adequately clothed.結(jié)構(gòu)簡析 復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)。That是主句的賓語從句，從

18、句后再有從句。參考譯文 這種情況，有時就表示有一個可用于演出目的資金配額。遺憾的是配額一般都少而不足，就得動用非常之才能細(xì)細(xì)的使用金額，使所有的演員都能穿上合適的戲裝。2. Most pageants have a historical flavour as they usually come about through the celebration of the anniversary of some event of historic importance, or the life or death of some local worthy.結(jié)構(gòu)簡析 主從句參考譯文 大多數(shù)露天演出都帶有

19、歷史情調(diào)，因為這些戲一般是通過慶祝某個重大的歷史事件，或慶祝當(dāng)?shù)啬硞€值得紀(jì)念的人誕辰或逝世周年而產(chǎn)生的。3. This is an entirely different problem from designing costumes which are going to be looked at under artificial lighting; for one thing, scenes viewed in the daylight are subject to many more distractions. No longer is everything around cut out b

20、y the surrounding darkness, but instead it is very easy to be aware of disturbing movement in the audience of behind the performers.結(jié)構(gòu)簡析 復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)：主句this is后有定語從句，which修飾costumes。從句中又套從句。參考譯文 這和人為燈光下看的設(shè)計服裝完全不一樣。首先，白天看到幕景易于受許多因素影響，不再能用一片漆黑的環(huán)境把周圍的一切隔開，而是相反，演員后和觀眾中有點紛亂的動作，很容易看到。4. Very theatrically conceive

21、d clothes do not always look their best when seen in a daylight setting of trees, verdant lawns and old ivy-covered walls; the same goes for costumes being worn in front of the mellow colors of stately homes.結(jié)構(gòu)簡析 并列句，中用分號隔開。第一句中有when seen 連詞+過去分詞，實質(zhì)起從句作用。第二句是主從句。參考譯文 設(shè)計出的非常具有戲劇性效果的服裝，在光天化日，有樹木，有綠茵茵的

22、草地，又有爬滿常春藤的古老圍墻的背景下，經(jīng)常看起來是不起眼：在堂皇的住宅四周一片和色調(diào)前，所穿的服裝效果同樣不太好。5. If money is available to dress the performers without recourse to their own help in the provision of items, it is best to arrange for all the cutting and pinning together of the costumes to be done by one or two experienced people than to

23、be given out to the groups and individuals for completion.結(jié)構(gòu)簡析 條件句，主句為邏輯主句，注意中間兩個被動不定式。To be done by, than to be given out, 這里的than起連詞作用。參考譯文 如果有錢可以為演員著裝而不用求助自己供應(yīng)種種物件，那么最好把所有的戲裝的裁減和縫制交給一，兩個有經(jīng)驗人去干，而不是讓群體演員和單個演員去完成。寫作方法與文章大意文章論述露天演出的服裝問題，由于露天演出不同于室內(nèi)，劇院內(nèi)演出，要從各個方面考慮服裝問題，才能獲得應(yīng)有的舞臺效果。作者從資金多少，地方色彩，露天，白天，顏色

24、搭配等方面來論述服裝。寫法多種，有因果，對比，舉例等。答案詳解1. C. 露天演出的服裝。第一段末尾已經(jīng)點明，“一般認(rèn)為露天演出規(guī)模宏大，常常是由某個地方或當(dāng)局(民政局主辦贊助)，或總是和某個地方集團有關(guān)。這意味著有用于演出目的資金配額，遺憾的是配額一般很少，必須動用非常的才能，細(xì)細(xì)的使用資金，所有演員才能窗上恰當(dāng)?shù)姆b?！逼渌鞫胃饔兄攸c，但都是服務(wù)于劇裝這一中心。A. 露天演出。 B. 舞臺劇裝(包括劇場)。 D. 如何安排露天演出;涉及面或大或小，不適合。2. C. 和諧。服裝設(shè)計中最重要的因素是和諧。這一點在幾段中都提到，第二段最后一句“演員的主題必須以群體設(shè)計，頭腦中必須經(jīng)常記住群體

25、效果?！钡谌巫詈笠痪洹氨仨氀芯垦莩龅牡乩砦恢茫瑳Q出什么樣的顏色和織物，能和環(huán)境，條件，達到最完美和諧?！钡谖宥螌Ｖv顏色搭配，“應(yīng)當(dāng)從總體考慮顏色，這樣才有亮和暗的群體對比，幫助產(chǎn)生實感的視覺效果，一群穿著雜七雜八顏色服裝的演員聚集在一起看起來亂哄哄。缺乏戲劇效果?！边@也是和諧之要求。A. 錢。錢要考慮。出前兩段外，第三段最后一句，講完和諧后，也提到“盡可能以能到手的資金加以實現(xiàn)這決定?！钡谒亩沃小霸阱X很少或是沒有錢的情況下，服裝得降到基本需要”，下面就講利用被單，浴巾，窗簾做服裝，所以錢在服裝設(shè)計中很重要，但不能列為最重要因素，有錢沒有錢都得以服裝協(xié)調(diào)為主。 B. 顏色。D. 織品。同樣都的

26、服從和諧這一前提。3. D. 因為能得到資金的配額都很少。第一段最后一句話，見第一題譯注。A. 因為在光天化日下演出。 B. 因為不同演員要求不同服裝。 C. 顏色和織物必須和布景諧調(diào)。這些只是考慮的因素。見上面譯文。4. A. 因為大多數(shù)露天演出都是為紀(jì)念慶祝。第二段第一句“露天演出一般都是某個具有歷史意義事件，或者當(dāng)?shù)啬硞€值得紀(jì)念的人物的誕辰和逝世周年，所以大多數(shù)露天演出都具有歷史紀(jì)念色彩?！盉. 許多露天演出是為了娛樂。 C. 許多露天演出是為了宗教。 D. 因為露天演出一般是參與競賽。三項都不對。大學(xué)英語四級考試精讀薈萃100篇(43):自然界中的保護色Cryptic coloring

27、 is by far the commonest use of color in the struggle for existence. It is employed for the purpose of attack (aggressive resemblance or anticryptic coloring ) as well as of defense (protective resemblance or procryptic coloring ). The fact that the same method concealment, may be used both for atta

28、ck and defense has been well explained by T.Belt who suggests as an illustration the rapidity of movement which is also made use of by both pursuer and pursued, which is similarly raised to a maximum in both by the gradual dying out of the slowest through a series of generations. Cryptic coloring is

29、 commonly associated with other aids in the struggle for life. Thus well-concealed mammals and birds, when discovered, will generally endeavor to escape by speed and will often attempt to defend themselves actively. On the other hand, small animals which have no means of active defense, such as larg

30、e, numbers of insects, frequently depend upon concealment alone. Protective resemblance is far commoner among animals than aggressive resemblance, in correspondence with the fact that predaceous forms are as a rule much larger and much less numerous than their prey. In the case of insectivorous Vert

31、ebrata and their prey such differences exist in an exaggerated form. Cryptic coloring, whether used for defense of attack, may be either general or special. In general resemblance the animal, in consequence of its coloring, produces the same effect as its environment, but the conditions do not requi

32、re any special adaptation of shape and outline. General resemblance is especially common among the animal inhabiting some uniformly colored expanse of the earth's surface, such as an ocean or a desert. In the former, animals of all shapes are frequently protected by their transparent blue color,

33、 on the latter, equally diverse forms are defended by their sandy appearance. The effect of a uniform appearance may be produced by a combination of tints in startling contrast. Thus the black and white stripes of the zebra blend together at a little distance, and " their proportion is such as

34、exactly to match the pale tint which arid ground possesses when seen by moonlight." Special resemblance is far commoner than general and is the form which is usually met with on the diversified surface of the earth, on the shores, and in shallow water, as well as on the floating masses of algae

35、 on the surface of the ocean, such as the Sargasso Sea. In these environments the cryptic coloring of animals is usually aided by special modifications of shape, and by the instinct which leads them to assume particular attitudes. Complete stillness and the assumption of a certain attitude play an e

36、ssential part in general resemblance on land; but in special resemblance the attitude is often highly specialized, and perhaps more important than any other element in the complex method by which concealment is effected. In special resemblance the combination of coloring, shape, and attitude is such

37、 as to produce a more or less exact resemblance to some one of the objects in the environment, such as a leaf of twig, a patch of lichen, a flake of bark. In all cases the resemblance is to some object which is of no interest to the enemy or prey respectively. The animal is not hidden from view by b

38、ecoming indistinguishable from its background as in the case of general resemblance, but it is mistaken for some well-know object.In seeking the interpretation of these most interesting and elaborate adaptations, attempts have been made along two lines. The first seeks to explain the effect as a res

39、ult of the direct influence of the environment upon the individual (G.L.L.Buffon), or by the inherited effects of efforts and the use and disuse of parts (J.B.P.Lamarck). The second believes that natural selection produced the result and afterwards maintained it by the survival of the best concealed

40、 in each generation. The former suggestion breaks down when the complex nature of numerous special resemblances is appreciated. Thus the arrangement of colors of many kinds into an appropriate pattern requires the cooperation of a suitable shape and the rigidly exact adoption of a certain elaborate

41、attitude. The latter is instinctive and thus depends on the central nervous system. The cryptic effect is due to the exact cooperation of all these factors; and in the present state of science, the only possible hole of an interpretation lies in the theory of natural selection, which can accumulate

42、any and every variation which tends toward survival. A few of the chief types of methods by which concealment is effected may be briefly described. The colors of large numbers of vertebrate animals are darkest on the back and become gradually lighter on the sides, passing into white on the belly. Ab

43、bot H. Thayer has suggested that this gradation obliterates the appearance of solidity, which is due to shadow. The color harmony, which is also essential to concealment, is produced because the back is of the same tint as the environment (e. g. earth), bathed in the cold blue-white of the sky, whil

44、e the belly, being cold blue-white and bathed in shadow and yellow earth reflections produces the same effects. This method of neutralizing shadow for the purpose of concealment by increased lightness of tint was first suggested by E.B.Poulton in the case of a larva and a pupa, but he did not apprec

45、iate the great importance of the principle. In an analogous method an animal in front of a background of dark shadow may have part of its body obliterated by the existence of a dark tint, the remainder resembling, e.g., a part of a leaf. This method of rendering invisible any part which would interf

46、ere with the resemblance is well know in mimicry.1. The black and white stripes of the zebra are most useful formA. hunters. B. nocturnal predatorsC. lions and tigers. C. insectivorous Vertrbrata2. Aggressive resemblance occurs whenA. a predaceous attitude is assumed.B. special resemblance is utiliz

47、ed.C. an animal relies on speed.D. an animal blends in with its background.3. Special resemblance differs from general resemblance in that the animal relies onA. its ability to frighten its adversary. B. speed.C. its ability to assume an attitude. D. mistaken identify4. The title below that best exp

48、resses the ides of this passage isA. Cryptic coloration for Protection. B. How Animals Survive.C. The uses of Mimicry in Nature. D. Resemblances of Animals.5. Of the following which is the least common?A. protective resemblance. B. General resemblance.C. Aggressive resemblance. D. Special resemblanc

49、e.Vocabulary 1. cryptic 隱藏的，保護的cryptic coloring 保護色，隱藏色2. predaceous 食肉的，捕食其他動物的。3. vertebrate 脊椎動物門4. tint 色澤，色彩5. zebra 斑馬6. Sargasso 果本馬尾藻7. twig 嫩枝8. lichen 地衣9. flake 一片10. gradation 等級，層次，分等11. obliterate 涂抹，擦去，使消失12. larva 幼蟲，幼體13. pupa 蛹14. mimicry 模仿，擬態(tài)15. insectivorous 食蟲的16. procryptic 有保

50、護色的，保護性的難句譯注1. the rapidity of movement which is also made use of by both pursuer and pursued, which is similarly raised to a maximum in both by the gradual dying out of the slowest through a series of generations.參考譯文 追捕動物和被追的動物也利用快速的動作。這種快速的運動同樣是通過幾代更迭，逐漸消除了慢速，而發(fā)展到快速頂峰。2. Protective resemblance is

51、 far commoner among animals than aggressive resemblance, in correspondence with the fact that predaceous forms are as a rule much larger and much less numerous than their prey.參考譯文 保護性模仿遠比侵犯行模仿要普遍得多，這是和下述的情況想配合的：食肉的(形式)動物，按慣律總是比他們捕食的對象要大而且多得多。3. The effect of a uniform appearance may be produced by

52、a combination of tints in startling contrast.參考譯文 在驚人的對比中，色澤的綜合可能產(chǎn)生外形一致的效果。4. their proportion is such as exactly to match the pale tint which arid ground possesses when seen by moonlight.參考譯文 (這里指斑馬的黑白條)比例正好和在月光下觀看貧瘠土地所具有的蒼白色澤相吻合。5. In these environments the cryptic coloring of animals is usually a

53、ided by special modifications of shape, and by the instinct which leads them to assume particular attitudes.參考譯文 在這些環(huán)境中，動物的保護色常常得到特定的形狀變化和本能的協(xié)作，這種本能會使動物采取特定的姿勢。6. Complete stillness and the assumption of a certain attitude play an essential part in general resemblance on land; but in special resembl

54、ance the attitude is often highly specialized參考譯文絕對靜態(tài)和采取一般姿勢在陸地的一般模仿中起很大作用，而在專門模仿中，姿勢常常是高度專門化的。7. Thus the arrangement of colors of many kinds into an appropriate pattern requires the cooperation of a suitable shape and the rigidly exact adoption of a certain elaborate attitude.參考譯文 因此許多類顏色排列成恰當(dāng)?shù)哪Ｊ?

55、形式，要求把合適的外形和嚴(yán)格的采用一定的精心設(shè)計的姿勢相結(jié)合。8. The cryptic effect is due to the exact cooperation of all these factors; and in the present state of science, the only possible hole of an interpretation lies in the theory of natural selection, which can accumulate any and every variation which tends toward surviva

56、l.參考譯文 保護效果是由于所以這些因素確切合作而形成。根據(jù)目前科學(xué)水平，唯一的解釋(此種現(xiàn)象)就是自然選擇理論，它可以累積要生存的各種變異/變種。寫作方法與文章大意文章以一般到具體的協(xié)作和分類方式寫作，第一段點出生物界生存競爭中最常用的一種顏色是保護色，保護色可分為兩類：進犯(進攻)型和防衛(wèi)型。一般是防御性保護色多于進攻型。而兩種類型都可歸納為一般性模仿和專門(特定)模仿。居住(棲息)在單一色澤的地方的動物，如海洋或沙漠，常采用模仿性保護色如透明的綠色，土色等，而特定摸剛的動物則棲息在多樣性的地方，如海岸，淺水，海洋表面等。特定模仿還需要有改變形狀姿勢之協(xié)作，使其看起來像客觀環(huán)境中的某物，某

57、種身份mistaken identify.第二段涉及有關(guān)模仿性的解釋的探索，結(jié)果為二。一種觀點是環(huán)境直接影響的結(jié)果。第二種是自然選擇的結(jié)果。當(dāng)人們理解了許多特定模仿的復(fù)雜特性時，第一種解釋就不能成立了。這說明保護效果是一切因素合適的外形和某種精心設(shè)計的姿勢等合作而成。按現(xiàn)在科學(xué)水平來解釋，只能歸之“自然選擇”理論，然后是用具體例子來證實。答案詳解：1. B. 夜間活動的食肉動物。見難句譯注4，斑馬的黑白相間顏色的比例正好和月光下所見的貧瘠土地的蒼白的色澤相吻合。當(dāng)然能保護斑馬夜間免遭這些食肉動物的襲擊。A. 捕獲者。 C. 獅子和老虎。D. 食蟲的脊椎動物2. A. 在裝成捕食其他動物的姿勢時

58、。B. 應(yīng)該專門模仿。 C. 動物依賴速度。 D. 動物和背景混在一起。3. D. 搞錯/認(rèn)錯了動物(身份)(mistaken identify 認(rèn)錯了人之義)。見第一段最后一句話，它不像一般模仿那樣，通過動物和背景難以辨別從而從視覺中隱藏起來，它是被誤認(rèn)為某種著名動物。A. 用以嚇走它的對手(敵人)的能力。 B. 速度。 C. 采用某種姿勢的能力。4. C. 自然界模擬的運動。文章一開始就點命保護色迄今為止生存斗爭中最常用的一種顏色，常用于進攻和防衛(wèi)。保護色常和其他措施相配合，首先提到速度，見難句譯注1。然后講到保護色分類，一般(普通)和特殊(專門)模擬/模仿。第二段解釋或說明模擬適應(yīng)性。第一種解釋為環(huán)境使然/影響。第二種認(rèn)為是自然界選擇之結(jié)果。A. 為了保衛(wèi)的保護色。 B. 動物是如何存活