In Europe people hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right throu

题文

In Europe people hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right throughout the meal, a system that is generally agreed to be more efficient than the American zigzag（曲折的）method. Americans hold both the fork and the knife in their right hands throughout the meal, so they continually change their forks to the left hand when they have to cut their meat. It seems to be funny for the Europeans to see Americans busy changing their dinner sets, making a lot of noises. A few explanations for this American style are as follows:
(1)Americans are practical and efficient. Since most of us are right-handed, it is reasonable to keep our working tools at all times in the right hand that can use them most efficiently.
(2)Americans, the master of the New World are rebels（叛逆者）.They use the zigzag method to break the rules in the Old World and in this way they are thumbing their nose at Mother England. Americans are a restless kind. They do not like to sit in one spot for very long when dining.
(3)Forced to do so, they respond by “playing” with the silver.
Whatever the reason for the practice, it is now certainly as American as apple pie. Europeans recognize this and are quick to attack it as evidence of American innocence（无知）of form. Arguments against the zigzag method rest not only on grounds of efficiency but also on those of tradition. In Old World dining, the knife is held in the right hand continually because it can serve as an instant defense against the uninvited intruders（入侵者）.However, such alertness（警觉） is out of place in the New World, as every American believes that this is the home of the brave. Americans juggle their silverware, perhaps, to show that they are not afraid and that one of them holding a fork is worth any number of them holding blades（刀）.
小题1:Americans use _______ to hold their fork to pick up the salad.A．the right handB．the left handC．both handsD．either of the two hands小题2:As the masters of the New World, Americans use a different cutting method from that in the Old World to _______.A．show their independence of Mother EnglandB．show their disrespect to Mother EnglandC．add a new tradition to those in Mother EnglandD．show off their creativeness to Mother England小题3:In the sentence, the word “juggle” probably means _______.A．holdB．play withC．pick upD．lay down小题4:Which of the following statements is NOT true? A．European people hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand.B．The zigzag eating method is related to American characteristics.C．The zigzag eating method has become an American feature.D．European people will use the American method because of its efficiency. 题型：未知 难度：其他题型

答案

小题1:A
小题2:A
小题3:B
小题4:D

解析

小题1:细节理解题。从第一段的：“Americans hold both the fork and the knife in their right hands throughout the meal,”可知答案。
小题2:推理判断题。根据第(2)点的：“in this way they are thumbing their nose at Mother England.”的thumbe their nose at意思是“轻视, 不在乎”可知答案。
小题3:词义猜测题。根据前面的：“they respond by “playing” with the silver..”和下文的：“to show that they are not afraid and that one of them holding a fork is worth any number of them holding blades（刀）”可知，juggle这是“耍弄”的意思。
小题4:细节判断题。用排除法，从第一段的：“In Europe people hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right”可知A选项是对的；从第(2)点的：“the master of the New World are rebels（叛逆者）.They use the zigzag method to break the rules in the Old World”和“Americans are a restless kind. They do not like to sit in one spot for very long when dining.”可知选项C是正确的。

考点

据考高分专家说，试题“In Europe people hol.....”主要考查你对 [政治经济类阅读 ]考点的理解。

政治经济类阅读

政治经济类文章的概念：

要做好这类阅读，平时就要注意了解国内外发生的政治经济大事，掌握一定背景知识，对这类文章的叙述特点及内容安排有一定了解，还要扩展这方面的词汇。阅读这类文章，要抓住文章的核心，即文章整体和各段主要在说什么，也要注意段落之间的逻辑关系。

如何备考政治经济类阅读理解题：

【题型说明】政治经济类阅读文章是高考常选材料之一。该类文章时代气息浓郁，语言鲜活，但熟字新义词、超纲词及专业词语多，长句、难句多。政治类文章大多数是同学们感性趣的内容，读起来倒有似曾相识的感觉，经济类文章读起来就像是雾里看花，文章看完，一头雾水。再加之这类文章的命题侧重于词义猜测、推理判断和文章主旨，同学们对这类题材是望而生畏。
【备考策略】建立心理优势。针对不同体裁的文章，我们要采取相应的阅读方法和技巧。政治类文章多采用记叙文形式，我们可采取“顺读法”，以便抓关键语句，领会文章主旨；而经济类文章则多采用说明文形式，我们则可以采取“逆读法”，先读试题，再从文章中查找有用信息。若遇到的确难读的材料。千万不用着急，因为你觉得难，其他人也一定是同感。在高考前，我们就要有这种心理准备，高考试卷肯定有一、两篇难以阅读的材料。不过，我们平时可以有意识地从报刊杂志上找一些较难的阅读材料来阅读，以培养自己迎难而上的心理素质。
【答题方法】
1、寻找主干：
根据英语中五种基本句型结构，把句子中的主语、谓语、宾语、表语等主要成分找出来，其他成分如定语、状语、补语等则易于理解。找到了句子主干，句子的意思至少明白了一半。
2、剔除从句：
在一个长句中可能会出现若干个从句，在理解时，如果把各个从句剔除出来单独理解，然后把大意拼凑起来，整个长句的意思就会明白六、七分。
3、辨别分句：
一个长句如果是由几个并列、转折、递进、对比关系的分句组成，句中往往有表示这些分句关系的连接词，只要能弄清楚分句和分句之间的逻辑关系，再把各层分句的意思加以连贯，整个长句的句意基本上能跃然脑中。
4、寻找关键词：
如果一个句子看完，一点句意的感觉也没有，下下策就是抓住句中的关键词，通过关键词大体弄懂这个长句的意思。