Question

  Alexis De Tocqueville，the French political scientist，，historian，philosopher and politician．Is most famous for a four-volume book he wrote called Democracy in America．He came to America in 1831 to study the American form of democracy’and what it might mean to the rest of the world．After a visit of only nine months,，he wrote a remarkable book which is regarded as a classic．De Tocqueville had unusual powers of observation．He described not only the democratic system of government and how it operated，but also its effect on how Americans think, feel, and act, Many scholars believe he had a deeper understanding of traditional American beliefs and values than anyone else who has written about。the United States．What is so remarkable is that

many of these characteristics which he observed nearly 200years ago are still visible and

meaningful today．His observations are also important because the timing of his visit，the 1830s，was before America was industrialized．This was the era of the small farmer，the small businessman，and the settling of the western frontier．It was the period of history when the traditional values of the new country were newly established．In just a generation，some 40 years since the adoption of the U．S：Constitution．the new form of government had—already produced a society of people with unique values．He was，however，a fair observer and saw both the good and bad sides of these qualities．

The first part of Democracy m America was written in 1831—32 and published in 1835．A highly positive and optimistic account of American government and society，the book was very well received．He attempted to get a glimpse of the core of American society．all the while promoting his own philosophy：the equaling of the classes and the unavoidable depth of aristocratic（貴族的）privilege The rest of the book he labored on for four years．and in 1840 the second part was published．This was substantially more pessimistic than the first，warning of the dangers despotism （暴政）and governmental centralization，and applying his ideas and criticisms more directly to France．As a result, it was not received as well as the first part，except in England where it was highly thought of．

What is the passage primarily about?

    A．Alexis De Tocqueville

    B．Democracy in America

    C．The progress achieved in America within about 40 years after adoption of the U．S．Constitution．

    D．The influence of the book Democracy in America

What in the passage is mentioned as being truly remarkable?

     A．Many of his observations are still visible and meaningful today．

     B．The book was so detailed and thorough after only such a comparatively short visit．

     C．That the second volume should be so pessimistic in comparison with the first．

     D．De Tocqueville’s powers of observation．

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage？

     A．The English don’t like the French   

     B．The book was most important because it was the first time that American values had been

clearly documented．

     C． De Tocqueville was a slow writer．   

     D．De Tocqueville was primarily motivated by an interest in his own country．   

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

     A．The visit lasted only five months．

     B．The visit coincided with American industrialization．

     C．The first part was published in 1835；the second part in 1840．

     D．The second part was more optimistic than the first．   

Answer 1

【小題1】B

【小題2】A

【小題3】B

【小題4】C

解析:

【小題1】主旨大意題，文章主要介紹Democracy in America一書的寫作背景和主要內容。D項在文章中有所體現，但不是文章的主旨，所以不對。

【小題2】細節題，文章第一段What is so remarkable is that many of these characteristics which he observed nearly 200．years ago are still visible and meaningful today．可以得知答案，其它選項在文章中出現，但不是truly remarkable。

【小題3】推理判斷題，A項和D項在文章中沒有談到；De Tocqueville花了9年的時間完成4本書，但不能推斷說他是一個slow writer，所以C項不對。B項從文章的第一段可以得出正確答案。

【小題4】細節題，A，B和D在文章中都是錯誤的，只有C項與原文內容符合。