新东方网络课堂：中级口译真题6

Questions 11～15

　　The elephants left the shade, crossed an open piece of grass between bushes, and came towards the mud-pool where my truck was parked. One by one they arrived on the shore, but, just as they seemed to be about to bathe in the inviting muddy liquid, they became aware of the silent truck with its tell-tale smell of man. the leading elephant merely spread her ears and cautiously backed away taking the young elephants with her.

　　A smaller mother elephant continued to stand next to the pool, however, swinging her long trunk and swaying her head from side to side, always keeping an eye on the truck. The baby elephant behind her held up his head, waving his trunk to sample the suspicious smell in the wind. The mother elephant seemed to be uncertain about whether to come on and investigate the truck or to back away with the other. Finally she made up her mind and slowly advanced on the truck. Her ears were helf out, and her trunk moved inquiringly towards the vehicle and then back under her stomach in a rhythmic swing.

　　I was fascinated by this close approach. Never before had I been able to see the hairiness around the jaw, nor smell the warm scent of elephant, which now reached me in concentrated waves. The mother elephant's steps were slow but determine, and brought her to within a couple of metres of me.

　　She gave the impression of being intensely curious about this metal object with had appeared in her world and behaved as if it were itself an animal. I wondered how far she would accept the situation and, if after all the centuries of men killing elephant, she would ever allow me to approach her on foot. To be able to move freely among the elephants without their minding was an exciting thought, but I certainly did not expect it would ever be possible.

　　11. It was the elephants' intention to___________.

　　A. feed on the grass

　　B. lie in the sunshine

　　C. swim in the pool

　　D. avoid the mud

　　12. The presence of the writer and his vehicle______________.

　　A. was not noticed by the elephants

　　B. made the leading elephant suspicious

　　C. made the adult elephants curious

　　D. frightened all the elephants away

　　13. How did the smaller elephant react to the truck?

　　A. She showed more curiosity than other elephants.

　　B. She kept her baby away from it.

　　C. After some hesitation she moved away with other elephants.

　　D. She rushed up to it excitedly.

　　14. While he watched the mother elephant approaching, the author______________.

　　A. was worried that the elephants were too close

　　B. found the smell very unpleasant

　　C. was impressed by the elephant's size

　　D. saw the details he had not noticed before

　　15. The author did not expect he would ever be able to_________________.

　　A. see the elephants killed

　　B. touch the elephants

　　C. walk about freely near the elephants

　　D. drive his truck close to the elephants

Questions 16～20

　　Whatever may be said against mass circulation magazines and newspapers, it can hardly be argued that they are out of touch with their reader's daydreams, and therefore the inducements such as gifts and prizes and prizes they hold out to them must be a near accurate reflection of their unfulfilled wants and aspirations. Study these and you will assuredly understand a good deal of what it is that makes society tick.

　　Looking back, for example, to the twenties and thirties, we can see that circulation managers unerringly diagnosed the twin obsessions which dominated that era of mass unemployment-economic insecurity and a passionate concern for the next generation. Thus it was that readers were recruited with offers of free insurance policies for the one, and free instant, or an arm in a flood, could confidently expect to collect several hundred pounds from the Daily This of the Evening That. The family who could not afford to send their son to grammar school could find consolation in equipping him with the complete works of Shakespeare in one magnificent, easy to read volume.

　　After the war the need to fall into step with the new consumer society was soon realised. If you were flanked by neighbours who, unlike you, could afford a holiday abroad, then winning an easy competition could set you up with a fortnight in an exotic sunspot. Dishwashers, washing machines, slow-cookers and deep-fat-friers were—and still are — available by the same means.

　　16. The writer finds the study of gifts and prizes interesting because it_____________.

　　A. shows the power of the popular press

　　B. reveals social trends

　　C. confirms his view of human nature

　　D. exposes journalistic dishonesty

　　17. It can be inferred from the passage that newspapers in the 1920s and 1930s offered their readers gifts in order to______________.

　　A. spread popular education

　　B. increase their circulation

　　C. improve social conditions

　　D. enrich their readers' knowledge

　　18. The choice of gifts tells us that the circulation managers______________.

　　A. despised their readers

　　B. wanted to educate their readers

　　C. understood their readers

　　D. enjoyed being powerful

　　19. According to the passage, one of the reasons why readers in the 1920s and 130s were attracted by free insurance policies was that_____________.

　　A. they were afraid of being unable to work

　　B. jobs were more dangerous then

　　C. they had bigger families to look after

　　D. money was given away with the policies

　　20. Why did holidays abroad become a common prize after the war?

　　A. People became more interested in material possessions.

　　B. Everyone wanted the opportuity to travel.

　　C. Group travel became easier.

　　D. People wanted to get away from familiar surroundings.