Question

Pride and Prejudice for the Modern Woman

Let us imagine how Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's most famous work, might be updated, 200 years on.

Austen's popularity is rooted in her intelligence. But today she would certainly have had a very different life, as would her characters. Here's my own suggestion. . .

It is a truth finally and universally acknowledged that a single woman with brains deserves to have equal opportunities to men, however disadvantaged she may feel by sexism.

" My dear husband," said his hopeful wife one day, " have you heard that the local store, standing empty for so long, is taken over by a bright young businesswoman?"

Her dull and indifferent (漠不关心的) husband replied that he had not. "But it is, it is," she replied excitedly. Mr Dull-Husband made no reply.

"Don't you want to know her plans?" she cried with some impatience.

"Well, clearly you think it matters to your silly little head... so I'd better listen. "

"Well, my dear, the rumour (传言) is that she has already set up a string of successful businesses in northern England, though how a woman can know anything about that is beyond me. She will move in herself next month. " "What is her name?" "Bingley. "

"Is she married or single?"

"What a question! And none of your business. But her coming will be a fine thing for our five boys. " "How so? How can it possibly affect them? "

"My dear love; those lazy boys need something to wake them up. There are bound to be jobs going. "

" Is that her point in settling here? Surely as a woman she has simply taken a fancy to the place. "

" Nonsense, my love, how little you've noticed the world has changed. She's got a first-rate degree and some sort of business qualification, I'm told. She surely needs one of our boys! Perhaps you might give her a call. "

" Me? No. Perhaps you can take an interest. You still have your looks, after all. She may even offer you a job. " "Oh, that's not likely. These new chances belong to the younger generation. But now you mention it, I think I'll go along all the same. "

And Mrs Bennet went along. That was 10 years ago. She is now managing director of a FTSE-listed company.

... It would remain the case, of course, that Mrs Bennet would be one of very few women on the company board, that her salary would be lower than her male colleagues, her bonus of a more "female" dimension and her lifespan (年限) among the city's business leaders shorter than theirs. Still, she'd no doubt have enjoyed Davos—and might even have hobnobbed (攀谈) with influential figures.

67.   Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A.    Austen was born 200 years ago.

B.    Austen rewrote Pride and Prejudice.

C.    Austen's success lies in her wisdom.

D.    Austen's updated work gains popularity.

68.   The underlined part in the passage suggests that Mrs Bennet ____.

A.    had mixed feelings of admiration and surprise about Bingley

B.    felt kind of worried and doubtful about Bingley

C.    was extremely anxious to meet Bingley

D.    had a great curiosity about Bingley

69.   In the eyes of Mrs Bennet, Bingley surely needed one of their boys to ____.

A. get married to    B. work for her

C. help her move in       D. take over her store

70.   What does the writer intend to tell us?

A.    Women with brains can also be as successful as men.

B.    Women have to pay a high price for success.

C.    A judgment must be made free from prejudice.

D.    Sex discrimination still exists nowadays.

Answer 1

【语篇解读】本文是一篇记叙文。作者虚拟了一个类似于200年前简.奥斯丁的《傲慢与偏见》的故事。主人翁班内特太太听说一个聪明年轻的女商人要来他们家附近接管一家商店，她对她充满了惊讶羡慕等的复杂情感，但同时却不忘借此为她的孩子谋一份工作，自己也趁机进了公司，成为其中的一名懂事，但薪水，奖金都比男性低，说明女性依然在遭受歧视。

段落	关键词	大意推测
第一部分（Para. 1-2）	popularity; intelligence; a very different life; single woman with brains; deserve equal opportunities	奥斯丁受欢迎是因为聪明；现在会有不同的生活；有头脑的单身女人会该拥有跟男人平等的机会。
第二部分（Para. 3—18）	local store; taken over; jobs going; surely needs one of our boys; go along all the same	接管当地一家商店商店；工作机会；需要我们的一个孩子；我也一起去找份工作。
第三部分（Para.19—20）	managing director; salary lower ; bonus more female; life-span shorter	执行经理；薪水，奖金都比男性低；年限比男性短。

67. C。细节理解题。难度：较易。

   【解题思路】根据第一段中的Austen's popularity is rooted in her intelligence可知答案。句中的popularity与题干中的success属于“同义转述”。

68. A。句意推断题。难度：中等。

   【解题思路】划线句子的意思是“一个女人怎么能懂开公司的事情，我不理解”，从句子本身能够看出班内特太太对宾利小姐的一种很复杂的感觉：惊讶和羡慕等等。

69. B。细节理解题。难度：较易。

   【解题思路】根据题干的关键词定位在第16段的She surely needs one of our boys，答案一目了然。

   【干扰项排除】选项A，C，D的意思分别是：“想让她的一个儿子娶她”，“想帮她搬家”，“想接管她的商店”，均属无中生有，排除。

70. D。主旨大意题。难度：中等。

   【解题思路】文章在最后一段，用her salary would be lower than her male colleagues, her bonus of a more "female" dimension and her lifespan (年限) among the city's business leaders shorter than theirs.这样的句子点名了主题：在当今社会中，性别歧视依旧存在。

【难句学习】

1. But today she would certainly have had a very different life, as would her characters

【翻译】 但是现在她肯定会有不同的生活，她的性格也会不同。

【分析】主从复合句。as引导的是一个比较状语从句。

2. It is a truth finally and universally acknowledged that a single woman with brains deserves to have equal opportunities to men, however disadvantaged she may feel by sexism.

【翻译】最终被广泛认可的事实是：由于性别歧视，一个有头脑的单身女人会感觉自己处于很不利的地位，无论这种感觉多么严重，她都应该跟男人有平等的机会，

【分析】主从复合句。that引导的是一个同位语从句，这个从句中有一个however引导的让步状语从句。

3. Well, my dear, the rumour (传言) is that she has already set up a string of successful businesses in northern England, though how a woman can know anything about that is beyond me

【翻译】亲爱的，人们传言，她已经在北英格兰成功创办了一系列的公司，尽管我不明白一个女人怎么会动的那些事情。

【分析】主从复合句。that引导了一个表语从句;though引导的是一个让步状语从句，在这个让步状语从句中，主语是how引导的主语从句。string of 一系列的; beyond me这里的意思是“超出了我的理解”。