SAT阅读模拟练习九

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　　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.

　　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

　　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.

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