2010考研英语阅读理解精读100篇 UNIT 18

TEXT ONE

Pier 17 in downtown Manhattan is not the most likely destination for theatre-goers. But here on the East River, among the wailing seagulls, frying fish and tourists, is an enchanting offer of entertainment. Spiegelworld is back in town for its second summer, with two spicy cabaret shows of dance, music, acrobatics and burlesque. Called “Absinthe” and “La Vie”, the shows are staged in the anachronistic opulence of a spiegeltent (Flemish for “tent of mirrors”).

Nobody seems to know how many of these European pavilions are left but most people agree that there are fewer than 20. Built by hand without nails, spiegeltents are beautiful assemblies of teak, velvet, stained glass and bevelled mirrors, created originally in Belgium in the early 20th century as mobile dance halls. Only two families in Belgium and the Netherlands still know how to make them, producing one every five or ten years or so, says Vallejo Gantner, one of the show's producers and a long-time spiegeltent aficionado. “But you know it when you walk into an old one. They have a special boutique quality.”

This one, which dates from the 1920s and has a painted art-nouveau fa?ade, lends continental glamour to the pier. It holds about 350 people on wooden chairs and banquettes around a modest, circular stage. And it is this intimacy, this proximity to the performers, that gives these shows their special feel. Erotic contortionists, balletic hand-balancers and bawdy jugglers emanate a sweaty, tangible humanity. Many of them, Mr Gantner explains, have left larger circus troupes, such as Cirque du Soleil, in order to make eye-contact with their audience. The simplicity of the staging gives their performances a gritty authenticity.

Once in a while, a family on a children's outing is fooled by Spiegelworld's festive red-and-blue tent spires. Make no mistake: the shows are for adults. “La Vie”, created by Les 7 Doigts de la Main, a Montreal-based troupe, laces an array of artfully sexy circus acts with the premise that everyone is dead and in purgatory, travelling on “a flight to hell that never quite gets there”. Wearing what looks like a straitjacket, a contortionist moves in a highly unsettling way to a recording of “Crazy”, crooned by Patsy Cline. The show closes with a steamy pas de deux between the devilish master of ceremonies and the evening's lip-curling seductress.

“Absinthe” is a more explicit grab-bag of stripping, cross-dressing and intrigue, without a unifying theme. The show's strongest moments come from the acrobats, all of whom carry a powerful sexual charge. Two women sway with suggestive grace on the trapeze. An aerialist in black trousers, his sculpted chest glistening, pulls and twists himself up two hanging straps to the lusty music of “Jealous Guy”, sung by a transvestite diva.

Sexy but not tawdry. Despite colourful language and a brief moment of unnecessary male

nudity in “La Vie”, the setting is too elegant and the talent too astonishing for that. It's a bit of risqué fun that has been warmly received by New Yorkers, many of whom have grown tired of the wholesome, tourist-friendly fare of Broadway. Last summer “Absinthe” ran for two months to sell-out crowds; this year's two-show programme is for three months until the end of September. 1． According to the passage, Spiegelworld is probably _____

[A] a series shows of dance, music, acrobatics and burlesque with boutique quality [B] a mobile dance hall of long history as well as exquisite decoration [C] a troupe performing certain programmes for the public.

[D] a traditional form of entertainment derived from some ancient European countries.

2．By mentioning that “Pier 17 in downtown Manhattan is not the most likely destination for theatre-goers”, the author wants to _____

[A] imply that theatre-goers are paying much attention to the environment of performance. [B] show that Pier 17 is not a place for a formal performance of the theatre. [C] prove that the shows in Spiegeltent are very attractive

[D] tell us the status of the place where the shows of “Absinthe” and “La Vie” are presented. 3．The performances staged in the spiegeltents are different from the other ones mainly in that _____

[A] they are on show in the pier rather than in the theatre.

[B] the seats are arranged around the stage so that the audience can watch the performers closely. [C] they are of a sweaty, tangible humanity and a like of enticing simplicity. [D] it is much easier for their performers to make eye-contact with their audience.

4．In the fourth paragraph, the author gives a detailed description of “La Vie” in order to _____ [A] imply that Spiegelworld is characterized by suggestive sexy scenes and is mainly oriented to the adults.

[B] showcase the fact that the performance is sexually attractive, but far from tawdry. [C] demonstrate the profound meaning conveyed by the surface of the performance.

[D] give a general impression of the specific performance and illustrate that people should not be deluded by the representation.

5．Which one of the following statements is TRUE of the performances staged in spiegeltents?

[A] Only two families in Belgium and the Netherlands know how to give such performances.

[B] The performances are characteristic of erotic shows. [C] The performances are always given with an explicit motif. [D] The performances are mainly given to the mass rather than the elite.

篇章剖析：

这篇文章主要讲述了一种传统演出团队的表演。第一段讲述Spiegelworld在曼哈顿区17码头表演；第二段讲述了该演出场地“镜子帐篷”；第三段讲述这种表演的特色；第四、五段具体讲述两种表演的风格；第六段讲述这种演出广受欢迎。

词汇注释： wail v. 哀号 absinthe n. 苦艾酒 teak n. 柚木

cabaret n.酒店的歌舞表演 anachronistic adj. 不合时代的 bevel vi. 成斜角

aficionado n. 狂热爱好者 contortionist n. 柔术演员 gritty adj. 坚忍不拔的 purgatory n. 炼狱

straitjacket n. 紧身衣 devilish adj.恶魔般的 grab-bag n. 混杂

trapeze n. 吊秋千

aerialist n. 高空杂技师 transvestite n 易装癖者 diva n.女主角

难句突破：

(1) Only two families in Belgium and the Netherlands still know how to make them, producing

one every five or ten years or so, says Vallejo Gantner, one of the show's producers and a long-time spiegeltent aficionado.

[主体句式] Only two families in Belgium and the Netherlands still know … says Vallejo Gantner. [结构分析] 这是一个复合句，前面整体的句子是做says的宾语从句；producing…现在分词结构充当宾语从句的伴随状语。

[句子译文] 该演出的出品人之一的spiegeltent铁杆迷Vallejo Gantner说只有在比利时和荷兰的两个家族知道怎么来组装这种帐篷，而且他们每隔五年或十年才生产一个。

（2） “La Vie”, created by Les 7 Doigts de la Main, a Montreal-based troupe, laces an array of artfully sexy circus acts with the premise that everyone is dead and in purgatory, travelling on “a flight to hell that never quite gets there”.

[主体句式] “La Vie” laces an array of… with the premise that…

[结构分析] 这是一个复合句，that 引导的定语从句用来修饰前面的premise, 而该从句中travlleing on…是做主与everyone的伴随状语。

[句子译文] “生活”是由蒙特利尔的马戏团“7个手指”创造，有一系列性感的杂技演出，演出假定每个人都已死去，在“通往地狱的航行”中行进，没有终点。

题目分析： 1． According to the passage, Spiegelworld is 1．根据这篇文章，Spiegelworld可能是probably _____ _____ [A] a series shows of dance, music, acrobatics and [A] 舞蹈、音乐、杂技和滑稽剧的一系列burlesque with boutique quality. 质量上乘的演出。 [B] a mobile dance hall of long history as well as [B] 可以表演节目并有着精致装饰的一个exquisite decoration. 流动舞厅。 [C] a troupe performing certain programmes for [C] 为公众演出一定节目的剧团。 the public. [D] a traditional form of entertainment derived [D]一种来自一些欧洲古老国家的传统娱from some ancient European countries. 乐形式。 [答案] C

[难度系数] ☆☆☆

[分析] 推理题。本题需要结合全文来看，Spiegelworld是在spiegeltent表演节目的一个团体。例如文章第一段就指出“Spiegelworld is back in town for its second summer, with two spicy cabaret shows of dance, music, acrobatics and burlesque. Called “Absinthe” and “La Vie”, the shows are staged in the anachronistic opulence of a spiegeltent (Flemish for “tent of mirrors”)”。

因此，选项C最为符合题意。

2．By mentioning that “Pier 17 in downtown 2．通过提及“曼哈顿区的17号码头不Manhattan is not the most likely destination for 像是常去剧院的人最有可能取得目的theatre-goers”, the author wants to _____ 地”，作者想要_____ [A] imply that theatre-goers are paying much [A] 暗示经常到剧院的人非常看重表演attention to the environment of performance. 的环境。 [B] show that Pier 17 is not a place for a formal [B] 显示17号码头不是剧院正式演出的performance of the theatre. 一个地方。 [C] prove that the shows in Spiegeltent are very [C] 证实了Spiegeltent里的演出非常吸attractive. 引人。 [D] tell us the status of the place where the shows of [D] 告诉我们“苦艾酒” 和“生活”表演“Absinthe” and “La Vie” are presented. 的地方的情况。 [答案] C

[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆

[分析] 推理题。根据第一段“Pier 17 in downtown Manhattan is not the most likely destination for theatre-goers. But here on the East River, among the wailing seagulls, frying fish and tourists, is an enchanting offer of entertainment”，可见虽然17号码头不是逛剧院的人常去之地，但是Spiegelworld却受到了热情的欢迎，因此其演出应该是非常吸引人的。答案为C选项。 3．The performances staged in the spiegeltents are 3．在spiegeltents上演的演出和其他演出different from the other ones mainly in that _____ 的不同之处在于_____ [A] they are on show in the pier rather than in the [A] 他们在码头而不是在剧院演出。 theatre. [B] the seats are arranged around the stage so that [B] 座位安排在舞台周围，观众可以近距the audience can watch the performers closely. 离地看到表演者。 [C] they are of a sweaty, tangible humanity and a [C] 他们有一种可以看得到的人文主义和like of enticing simplicity. 那种吸引人的简洁。 [D] it is much easier for their performers to make [D] 演出者能够更加容易地与观众进行眼eye-contact with their audience. 神交流。 [答案]B [难度系数] ☆

[分析] 细节题。根据第三段“Many of them, Mr Gantner explains, have left larger circus troupes, such as Cirque du Soleil, in order to make eye-contact with their audience. The simplicity of the staging gives their performances a gritty authenticity”，正是因为和表演者的亲密接触使得这种演出有了特别的感觉，选项B最为符合题意。

4．In the fourth paragraph, the author gives a 4．根据第四段，作者详细地描述了“生活” 是detailed description of “La Vie” in order to 为了_____

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