Part A: Reading Comprehension

Directions: Read the following text. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)

Text 1

King Juan Carlos of Spain once insisted “kings don’t abdicate, they die in their sleep.” But embarrassing scandals and the popularity of the republican left in the recent Euro-elections have forced him to eat his words and stand down. So, does the Spanish crisis suggest that monarchy is seeing its last days? Does that mean the writing is on the wall for all European royals, with their magnificent uniforms and majestic lifestyle?

The Spanish case provides arguments both for and against monarchy. When public opinion is particularly polarised, as it was following the end of the Franco regime, monarchs can rise above “mere” politics and “embody” a spirit of national unity.

It is this apparent transcendence of politics that explains monarchs’ continuing popularity as heads of state. And so, the Middle East excepted, Europe is the most monarch-infested region in the world, with 10 kingdoms (not counting Vatican city and Andorra). But unlike their absolutist counterparts in the Gulf and Asia, most royal families have survived because they allow voters to avoid the difficult search for a non-controversial but respected public figure.

Even so, kings and queens undoubtedly have a downside. Symbolic of national unity as they claim to be, their very history—and sometimes the way they behave today—embodies outdated and indefensible privileges and inequalities. At a time when Thomas Piketty and other economists are warning of rising inequality and the increasing power of inherited wealth, it is bizarre that wealthy aristocratic families should still be the symbolic heart of modern democratic states.

The most successful monarchies strive to abandon or hide their old aristocratic ways. Princes and princesses have day-jobs and ride bicycles, not horses (or helicopters). Even so, these are wealthy families who party with the international 1%, and media intrusiveness makes it increasingly difficult to maintain the right image.

While Europe’s monarchies will no doubt be smart enough to survive for some time to come, it is the British royals who have most to fear from the Spanish example.

It is only the Queen who has preserved the monarchy’s reputation with her rather ordinary (if well-heeled) granny style. The danger will come with Charles, who has both an expensive taste of lifestyle and a pretty hierarchical view of the world. He has failed to understand that monarchies have largely survived because they provide a service—as non-controversial and non-political heads of state. Charles ought to know that as English history shows, it is kings, not republicans, who are the monarchy’s worst enemies.

21. According to the first two Paragraphs, King Juan Carlos of Spain

[A]

eased his relationship with his rivals. 

[B]

used to enjoy high public support. 

[C]

was unpopular among European royals. 

[D]

ended his reign in embarrassment. 

22. Monarchs are kept as heads of state in Europe mostly

[A]

to give voters more public figures to look up to. 

[B]

to achieve a balance between tradition and reality. 

[C]

owing to their undoubted and respectable status. 

[D]

due to their everlasting political embodiment. 

23. Which of the following is shown to be odd, according to Paragraph 4?

[A]

Aristocrats’ excessive reliance on inherited wealth. 

[B]

The role of the nobility in modern democracies. 

[C]

The simple lifestyle of the aristocratic families. 

[D]

The nobility’s adherence to their privileges. 

24. The British royals “have most to fear” because Charles

[A]

fails to adapt himself to his future role. 

[B]

fails to change his lifestyle as advised. 

[C]

takes republicans as his potential allies. 

[D]

takes a tough line on political issues. 

25. Which of the following is the best title of the text?

[A]

Carlos, Glory and Disgrace Combined 

[B]

Charles, Anxious to Succeed to the Throne 

[C]

Carlos, a Lesson for All European Monarchs 

[D]

Charles, Slow to React to the Coming Threats 

Answers & Explanations (答案与深度解析)

试题精解

21. [D] ended his reign in embarrassment.
【解析】细节题。第一段提到，西班牙国王胡安·卡洛斯曾坚称国王不会退位（kings don’t abdicate），但“embarrassing scandals（令人尴尬的丑闻）”迫使他自食其言并“stand down（退位/下台）”。这说明他在尴尬中结束了统治（ended his reign in embarrassment）。A、B、C 均为捏造信息。

22. [C] owing to their undoubted and respectable status.
【解析】细节题。第三段最后一句解释了欧洲大部分王室能幸存下来的原因：“because they allow voters to avoid the difficult search for a non-controversial but respected public figure”（因为他们让选民免于去艰难寻找一位无争议但受人尊敬的公众人物）。这说明君主作为一种毋庸置疑且受人尊敬的身份（undoubted and respectable status），满足了选民对国家元首的期待。故选 C。

23. [B] The role of the nobility in modern democracies.
【解析】细节题。第四段末尾明确指出：“it is bizarre that wealthy aristocratic families should still be the symbolic heart of modern democratic states.”（在现代民主国家中，富有的贵族家庭仍处于象征性的核心地位，这很奇怪）。bizarre 是 odd 的同义替换。B 选项“贵族在现代民主国家中的角色（The role of the nobility in modern democracies）”精准概括了这一荒诞现象。

24. [A] fails to adapt himself to his future role.
【解析】推理题。最后一段分析了查尔斯的问题：他生活奢侈、等级观念强，并且“failed to understand that monarchies have largely survived because they provide a service—as non-controversial and non-political heads of state”（未能理解君主制存活是因为其提供了非争议、非政治的国家元首服务）。这说明查尔斯未能适应他未来作为君主应扮演的角色（fails to adapt himself to his future role）。故选 A。

25. [C] Carlos, a Lesson for All European Monarchs
【解析】主旨题。文章第一段以卡洛斯国王的退位引出话题，询问这是否预示着全欧洲王室的危机；接着分析了欧洲君主制的优缺点；最后一段则将卡洛斯的教训具体应用到英国王室（特别是查尔斯）的未来上。全文就是以卡洛斯为切入点，探讨其退位对欧洲其他君主的启示/教训（a Lesson for All European Monarchs）。C 选项最符合文章逻辑框架。

考研核心句型与长难句

【长难句剖析】

1. 地道习语的运用：
"But embarrassing scandals... have forced him to eat his words and stand down. ... Does that mean the writing is on the wall for all European royals...?"
【解析】这里运用了两个极其生动的习语：eat one's words 意为“收回前言/自食其言”；the writing is on the wall 典出《圣经》，意为“厄运临头的预兆”。这两个习语生动地描绘了卡洛斯国王的窘境和整个欧洲王室的潜在危机。

2. 强调句与同位语：
"It is this apparent transcendence of politics that explains monarchs’ continuing popularity as heads of state."
【解析】典型的 It is... that... 强调句型，强调主语 this apparent transcendence of politics（这种明显的对政治的超越），说明这是君主能够持续受欢迎的核心原因。

3. as 引导的让步状语从句（倒装）：
"Symbolic of national unity as they claim to be, their very history... embodies outdated and indefensible privileges and inequalities."
【解析】as 引导让步状语从句时，常把表语（Symbolic of national unity）提前，构成部分倒装。意为“尽管他们自称是国家统一的象征，但他们本身的历史...却体现了过时的特权。”