新托福考试：2012.4.28 解读托福阅读翻译2

2012年4月28日托福考试同样重现了北美机经的题目。本文为您提供托福阅读翻译及详细答案解析：戏剧的起源。

4.28托福阅读翻译及答案解析：戏剧的起源

由于缺少具体材料，人们在研究戏剧起源时不得不主要依赖猜想。19世纪末20世纪初，一些人类学家支持的理论得到了世人的广泛认同，该理论视戏剧为一种脱胎于神秘和宗教仪式的艺术。科学家们推论的过程可以简单地概括如下：在戏剧发展的早期，人们察觉到某种力量可以影响甚至操控其食物来源和生活状态。由于缺乏对自然知识，人们便把一些合理或不合理的事情都归咎于超自然的或魔幻的力量，并试图寻找各种能够迎合这些力量的途径。当意识到自己的某些行为和期许的结果之间存在明显的联系后，人们便开始不断重复，修正进而完善这些行为，使之成为固定的典礼或宗教仪式。

神话故事逐渐围绕这些仪式诞生出来，其中经常囊括了宗教仪式所试图影响的超自然力量的原型。在仪式或庆典举行过程中，表演者们会穿上戏装和面具来扮演神秘角色或超自然力量。然而，随着人类变得更加精于世故，其对超自然力量和相关因果关系的定义发生了改变，因而人们选择抛弃或修改某些仪式。但是，从仪式中发展起来的神话故事仍会不时从人们口中提及，甚至会在没有仪式需要的情况下继续演绎。这样，戏剧作为一项独立活动便迈出了第一步，其娱乐和审美价值开始逐渐取代人们先前对其神秘作用的关注。

尽管戏剧起源于宗教仪式的说法是目前最被大众认可的，但这并非戏剧起源的唯一定论。另一理论认为戏剧源于说书弹词，并认为讲述和聆听故事是人类的基本乐趣。这样，对某一事件(如打猎，战争等)的回忆被讲述者通过哑剧或模仿详细化，最终故事的每一角色都被不同的人来担任。

另外一相关理论认为，戏剧主要是从哑剧舞蹈、有节奏的舞蹈、体操、或动物声音的模仿过程中逐渐演变而来。人们对于表演者技巧，精湛技术和优雅的崇拜被认为是一种激励，它促使表演者将这些活动精细化并使其最终成为夸张的戏剧表演。

除了探寻戏剧起源之外，一些学者还关注人类发展戏剧的动机。为什么戏剧会发展?为什么在戏剧完全脱离宗教仪式后还被人们所欣赏?答案源于对人类心智和基本需求的理解。一种理论在公元前4世纪由亚里士多德提出，它认为人类天生具有模仿性----通过模仿他人、

他物和动作以及观看这种模仿来获得欢愉。另一在12世纪得到发展的理论认为人类具有幻想的天赋，通过幻想人类试图重塑现实，使其变得比现实生活中所遇到的更加令人满意。因此，幻想和虚拟作品允许人们将他们的焦虑、恐惧具现化，并面对它们，同时满足在现实中不能满足的愿望。这样，戏剧便成为人类定义生活，理解生活或者逃避痛苦现实的工具。

但是，无论是人类的模仿本能或是对幻想的嗜好都不能直接导致戏剧发展成为一门独立的艺术，因此人们需要其它的解释。戏剧发展的一个必要条件很可能是人类看待事物超脱性观点的形成。例如，这种情况的一个标志是喜剧观点的出现，因为喜剧要求人们充分地从痛苦中脱离，并将一些与社会准则相偏离的表现看做滑稽可笑的而不是视其为对群体利益的巨大威胁。另一导致戏剧发展的条件是审美感的出现。例如，一些早期社会不再认为特定仪式与他们的安康息息相关从而抛弃了这些仪式，然而，他们将围绕仪式产生的神话变为口头传授传统的一部分，并且对其所具有的艺术价值而不是宗教价值进行赞美。

托福阅读答案及题目解析

Key:

1. D2. A3. A4. D5. C6.C7. B8. D9. A10. B11. C12. D13. D14. 2 5 6

题目解析：

1. The word “championed” in the passage is closest in meaning to (Vocabulary Question)

A.Changed

B.Debated

C.Created

D.Supported

相关原句：The most widely accepted theory, championed by anthropologists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, envisions theater as emerging out of myth and ritual.( Paragraph 1)

本题解析：Championed意为“被支持的，被拥护的”，与“supported”同义，因此选择D。

正确答案：D

2. The word “attributes” in the passage is closest in meaning to (Vocabulary Question)

A.Ascribes

B.Leaves

C.Limits

D.Contrasts

相关原句：Having little understanding of natural causes, it attributes both desirable and undesirable occurrences to supernatural or magical forces…( Paragraph 1)

本题解析：attribute意为“把…归因于”，与“ascribe(归因于，归咎于)”同义，因此选择A。

正确答案：A

3. According to paragraph 1, theories of the origins of theater(Factual Information Question)

A.Are mainly hypothetical

B.Are well supported by factual evidence

C.Have rarely been agreed upon by anthropologists

D.Were expressed in the early stages of theater’s development

相关原句：In seeking to describe the origins of theater, one must rely primarily on speculation, since there is little concrete evidence on which to draw. ( Paragraph 1)

本题解析：文中指出探究戏剧的发源主要依靠想象和推测(rely primarily on speculation)，因为缺少确切的证据(little concrete evidence)，也就是说关于戏剧起源的理论大都是猜测性的(hypothetical)因此选择A。

正确答案：A

4. According to paragraph 1, why did some societies develop and repeat ceremonial actions? (Factual Information Question)

A.To establish a positive connection between the members of the society

B.To help society members better understand the forces controlling their food supply

C.To distinguish their beliefs from those of other societies

D.To increase the society’s prosperity

相关原句：Perceiving an apparent connection between certain actions performed by the group and the result it desires, the group repeats, refines and formalizes those actions into fixed ceremonies, or rituals. ( Paragraph 1)

本题解析：由于认为群体所表现的特定行为(certain actions)与其所期待的结果(the result it desires)有明显联系，该群体重复、修正并将这些行为正式化，使其成为固定的典礼或宗教仪式。因此早期社会之所以重复其仪式，是为了获得其所期待的结果，如使社会更加繁荣之类。因此选择D。

正确答案：D

5. The word “this” in the passage refers to (Reference Question)

A.The acting out of rites

B.The divorce of ritual performers from the rest of society

C.The separation of myths from rites

D.The celebration of supernatural forces

相关原句：But the myths that have grown up around the rites may continue as part of the group’s oral tradition and may even come to be acted out under conditions divorced from these rites. When this occurs, the first step has been taken toward theater as an autonomous activity…(Paragraph 2)

本题解析：This 指代神话从仪式中脱离出来，这是独立戏剧发展的第一步(may even come to be acted out under conditions divorced from these rites)，因此选择C。

正确答案：C

6. The word “autonomous” in the passage is closest in meaning to(Vocabulary Question)

A.Artistic

B.Important

C.Independent

D.Established

相关原句：When this occurs, the first step has been taken toward theater as an autonomous activity…(Paragraph 2)

本题解析：autonomous意为“自治的，独立的”，即指戏剧脱离了仪式单独存在，因此选择C。

正确答案：C

7. According to paragraph 2, what may cause societies to abandon certain rites? (Factual Information Question)

A.Emphasizing theater as entertainment

B.Developing a new understanding of why events occur.

C.Finding a more sophisticated way of representing mythical characters

D.Moving from a primarily oral tradition to a more written tradition

相关原句：As a people becomes more sophisticated, its conceptions of supernatural forces and causal relationships may change. As a result, it may abandon or modify some rites. (Paragraph 2)

本题解析：随着人变得更加精明，他们对于超自然力量及其事情发生的因果关系有了新的认识，从而使其放弃一些特定仪式。因此选择B。

正确答案：B

8. All of following are mentioned in paragraph 5 as possible reasons that led societies to develop theater EXCEPT: (Negative Factual Information Question)

A.Theater allows people to face that they are afraid of.

B.Theater gives an opportunity to imagine a better reality.

C.Theater is a way to enjoy imitating other people.

D.Theater provides people the opportunity to better understand the human mind.

相关原句：One, set forth by Aristotle in the fourth century B.C., sees humans as naturally imitative—as taking pleasure in imitating persons, things, and actions and in seeing such imitations. (Paragraph 5)

Another, advanced in the twentieth century, suggests that humans have a gift for fantasy, through which they seek to reshape reality into more satisfying forms than those encountered in daily life. (Paragraph 5)

Thus, fantasy or fiction (of which drama is one form) permits people to objectify their anxieties and fears, confront them, and fulfill their hopes in fiction if not fact.(Paragraph 5)

本题解析：相关句指出戏剧使人们可以面对自己的恐惧(permits people to objectify their anxieties and fears, confront them);可以任凭想象创造更美好的现实(reshape reality into more satisfying forms);可以从模仿中找到乐趣(taking pleasure in imitating)。排除法选择D。

正确答案：D

9. Which of the following best describes the organization of paragraph 5? (Factual Information Question)

A.The author presents two theories for a historical phenomenon.

B.The author argues against theories expressed earlier in the passage.

C.The author argues for replacing older theories with a new one.

DThe author points out problems with two popular theories.

本题解析：本段讲述了学者们对于人类发展戏剧的动机(historical phenomenon)的研究：一种理论认为人类乐于模仿;另一种理论认为人们通过戏剧进行幻想(two theories)。因此选择A。

正确答案：A

10.The word “penchant” in the passage is closest in meaning to (Vocabulary Question)

promise

B.Inclination

C.Tradition

D.Respect

相关原句：But neither the human imitative instinct nor a penchant for fantasy by itself leads to an autonomous theater.(Paragraph 6)

本题解析：penchant意为“强力的喜爱”，即对某一事物有“倾向性(inclination)”，因此选择B。

正确答案：B

11.Why does the author mention “comedy”? (Rhetorical Purpose Question)

A.To give an example of early types of theater

B.To explain how theater helps a society respond to threats to its welfare

C.To help explain why detachment is needed for the development of theater

D.To show how theatrical performers become detached from other members of society.

相关原句：One necessary condition seems to be a somewhat detached view of human problems. For example, one sign of this condition is the appearance of the comic vision, since comedy requires sufficient detachment to view some deviations from social norms as ridiculous rather than as serious threats to the welfare of the entire group. (Paragraph 6)

本题解析：本段指出独立戏剧的发展还依赖于一种超脱观点。例如，一个标志是喜剧观点(comic vision)的出现，因为喜剧(comedy)要求人们充分地从痛苦中脱离，并将一些与社会准则相偏离的表现看做滑稽可笑的而不是视其为对群体利益的巨大威胁。因此文中提到“comedy”是为了解释为何超脱观点(detachment)对戏剧发展是重要的。选择C。

正确答案：C

12.Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? (Sentence Simplification Question)

A.A society’s rites were more likely to be retained in the oral tradition if its myths were admired for artistic qualities.

B.The artistic quality of a myth was sometimes an essential reason for a society to abandon it from the oral tradition.

C.Some early societies stopped using myths in their religious practices when rites ceased to be seen as useful for social well-being.

D.Myths sometimes survived in a society’s tradition because of their artistic qualities even after they were no longer deemed religiously beneficial.

相关原句：

For example, some early societies ceased to consider certain rites essential to their well-being and abandoned them, nevertheless, they retained as parts of their oral tradition the myths that had grown up around the rites and admired them for their artistic qualities rather than for their religious usefulness. (Paragraph 6,highlighted sentence)

本题解析：“they retained as parts of their oral tradition the myths”为倒装，实际上即“they retained the myths(that had grown up around the rites)as parts of their oral tradition”;

本句指出“一些早期社会不再认为特定仪式与他们的安康息息相关从而抛弃了这些仪式，然而，他们将围绕仪式产生的神话变为口头传授传统的一部分，并且对其所具有的艺术价值而不是宗教价值进行赞美(admired them for their artistic qualities)。”也就是说神话故事在失去宗教价值后以其艺术性得到了保留，因此选择D。

正确答案：D

13.Look at the four squares [ █ ] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. (Insert Text Question)

To enhance their listener’s enjoyment, storytellers continually make their stores more engaging and memorable.

Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.

█(A)Although origin in ritual has long been the most popular, it is by no means the only theory about how the theater came into being.█(B) Storytelling has been proposed as one alternative. █(C)Under this theory, relating and listening to stories are seen as fundamental human pleasures.█(D) To enhance their listener’s enjoyment, storytellers continually make their stores more engaging and memorable. Thus, the recalling of an event (a hunt, battle, or other feat) is elaborated through the narrator’s pantomime and impersonation and eventually through each role being assumed by a different person.

本题解析：插入句中的“to enhance(提升) their listener’s enjoyment”暗示着前一句中应有关于“enjoyment”相关的内容，这与“fundamental human pleasure”相对应;而“make their stories more engaging and memorable”与后句中“elaborated(精致化、细化) through the narrator’s pantomime and impersonation”相对应。因此选择D。

正确答案：D

14.Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points. (Prose Summary Question)

Anthropologists have developed many theories to help understand why and how theater originated.

Answer choices

1.The presence of theater in almost all societies is thought to have occurred because early

story tellers traveled to different groups to tell their stores.

2.Many theorists believe that theater arises when societies act out myths to preserve social well-being.

3.The more sophisticated societies became, the better they could influence desirable occurrences through ritualized theater.

4.Some theories of theater development focus on how theater was used by group leaders to group leaders govern other members of society.

5.Theater may have come from pleasure humans receive from storytelling and moving rhythmically.

6.The human capacities for imitation and fantasy are considered possible reasons why societies develop theater.

本题解析：

该题考察对全文理解，注意正确答案应陈述文章主要内容----戏剧的诞生和发展的原因。

1.文中未提到“讲故事者四处巡游讲授故事 ”。1错误。

2. 第1段中指出“The most widely accepted theory, championed by anthropologists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, envisions theater as emerging out of myth and ritual”，即最为广泛接受的理论认为戏剧来源于神话和宗教仪式;文章接着指出表演神话故事和举行仪式是为了保佑社会的安康。2正确。

3.文章指出“随着人们变得精明，他们对超自然力量有了新的认识，不再盲目相信从而抛弃了一些仪式”，而并不是说“人们可以操纵现实(could influence desirable occurrences through ritualized theater)”。3错误。

4.文中并未谈及群体领袖利用戏剧来控制成员。4错误。

5.文章3、4两段指出了戏剧诞生的其他两种理论，即戏剧发源于讲故事和节奏性舞蹈，它们给人带来欢愉。5正确。

6.文章第5段指出了人类的模仿本能和幻想本能很可能促进了戏剧的进一步发展。6正确。

正确答案：

2，5，6

段意及难句解析：

●第一段：

段意：

本段讲述19世纪末20世纪初，人类学家猜测戏剧起源于神话和宗教仪式。

难句分析：

1. In seeking to describe the origins of theater, one must rely primarily on speculation, since there is little concrete evidence on which to draw.

短语：in seeking to：在寻求…的过程中

draw on：引用，凭借

分句：“little concrete evidence on which to draw”即“little concrete evidence to draw on”

释义：即试图描述戏剧的起源，人们必须主要依靠猜测，因为并没有多少确切证据可以引用。

2. The most widely accepted theory, championed by anthropologists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, envisions theater as emerging out of myth and ritual.

短语：envision…as…：把……视为……

释义：最为广泛接受的理论得到了19世纪末20世纪初的人类学家们的拥护，该理论认为戏剧来源于神话和宗教仪式。

3. Having little understanding of natural causes, it attributes both desirable and undesirable occurrences to supernatural or magical forces, and it searches for means to win the favor of these forces.

短语：attribute…to：把…归因于

分句：“Having little understanding of natural causes”作原因状语从句

释义：由于缺少对自然原因的了解，社会将好的与不好的现象都归因于超自然的或者魔法力量，并且它寻求得到这股力量好感的方式。

4. Perceiving an apparent connection between certain actions performed by the group and the result it desires, the group repeats, refines and formalizes those actions into fixed ceremonies, or rituals.

主干：Perceiving an connection between actions and the result,the group repeats,refines and formalizes actions into ceremonies or rituals

释义：由于认为群体所表现的特定行为与其所期待的结果有明显联系，该群体重复、修正并将这些行为正式化，使其成为固定的典礼或宗教仪式。

●第二段：

段意：

本段具体描述了随着宗教仪式和神话的变化以及人类的成长，戏剧逐渐从中脱离出来，娱乐和审美价值取代了迷信价值。

难句分析：

1. Frequently the myths include representatives of those supernatural forces that the rites celebrate or hope to influence.

分句：that the rites celebrate or hope to influence修饰supernatural forces，指仪式所试图庆祝或去影响的超自然力量

主干：the myths include representatives of supernatural forces

释义：神话中频繁出现超自然力量的代表，这些力量正是仪式所试图庆祝或去影响的。

2. But the myths that have grown up around the rites may continue as part of the group’s oral tradition and may even come to be acted out under conditions divorced from these rites.

短语：be divorced from：与…远离，与…相脱节

分句：that have grown up around the rites修饰myths，指围绕着仪式所产生的神话故事

主干：the myths may continue as…and may even come to be acted out…

释义：但围绕着仪式所产生的神话很可能继续作为该群体口头讲述传统的一部分，并甚至可能在与原有仪式相脱节的情况下依然被表现出来。

3. When this occurs, the first step has been taken toward theater as an autonomous activity, and thereafter entertainment and aesthetic values may gradually replace the former mystical and socially efficacious concerns.

短语：be taken toward：向…迈进

autonomous activity：自主活动，autonomous原意为“自治的”，此处引申为“自主的”

entertainment and aesthetic values：(戏剧的)娱乐和审美价值

mystical and socially efficacious concerns：神话和迷信的观点

释义：当这一情况发生时，戏剧作为自主活动便迈出了第一步，接着其娱乐和审美价值会渐渐取代人们先前对其神话和迷信作用的关注。

●第三段：

段意：

本段提出了戏剧起源的另一理论：来自于讲故事。

难句分析：

1. Thus, the recalling of an event (a hunt, battle, or other feat) is elaborated through the narrator’s pantomime and impersonation and eventually through each role being assumed by a different person.

短语：be assumed by…：由…来担任(角色)

主干：the recalling of an event is elaborated and being assumed by person

释义：这样，对某一事件(如打猎，战争等)的回忆被讲述者通过哑剧或模仿详细化，最终故事的每一角色都被不同的人来担任。

●第四段：

段意：

本段讲述了又一戏剧起源的理论：来自于哑剧的、有节奏的、舞蹈以及对动物形声的模仿。

难句分析：

1. A closely related theory sees theater as evolving out of dances that are primarily pantomimic, rhythmical or gymnastic, or from imitations of animal noises and sounds.

短语：see…as…：把…视为…

evolve out of：从…进化而来

主干：a theory sees theater as evolving out of dances or from imitations

释义：一个与之紧密相关的理论认为戏剧来源于舞蹈，这些舞蹈最初是哑剧的，有节奏的或者体操性质的，亦或者来源于对动物发出声音的模仿。

2. Admiration for the performer’s skill, virtuosity, and grace are seen as motivation for elaborating the activities into fully realized theatrical performances.

主干：admiration are seen as motivation for elaborating the activities into performances

释义：对于表演者技巧，精湛技术和优雅的崇拜被认为是一种激励，它促使将这些活动精致化并使其最终成为夸张的表演。

●第五段：

段意：

本段讲述了学者们对于人类发展戏剧的动机的研究：一种理论认为人类乐于模仿;另一种理论认为人们通过戏剧进行幻想。

难句分析：

1. One, set forth by Aristotle in the fourth century B.C., sees humans as naturally imitative—as taking pleasure in imitating persons, things, and actions and in seeing such imitations.

短语：be set forth by…：由…提出

take pleasure in doing…：从…中获得乐趣

主干：One sees human as imitative—as taking pleasure in imitating… and in seeing…

释义：一种理论在公元前4世纪由亚里士多德提出，它认为人类天生具有模仿性----通过模仿他人、他物和动作以及观看这种模仿来获得欢愉。

2. Another, advanced in the twentieth century, suggests that humans have a gift for fantasy, through which they seek to reshape reality into more satisfying forms than those encountered in daily life.

分句：“through which they seek to reshape…”作定语从句修饰fantasy

主干：Another suggests that human have a gift for fantansy

释义：另一在12世纪得到发展的理论认为人类具有幻想的天赋，通过幻想人类试图重塑现实，使其变得比现实生活中所遇到的更加令人满意。

3. Thus, fantasy or fiction (of which drama is one form) permits people to objectify their anxieties and fears, confront them, and fulfill their hopes in fiction if not fact.

主干：fantasy or fiction permits people to objectify…,confront…and fulfill…

释义：这样，幻想和虚拟作品允许人们将他们的焦虑、恐惧具现化，并面对它们，同时满足在现实中不能满足的愿望。

4. The theater, then, is one tool whereby people define and understand their world or escape from unpleasant realities.

分句：whereby意为“据此”，“whereby people define and understand…”作定语修饰tool

主干：theater is one tool

释义：这样，戏剧便成为人类定义生活，理解生活或者逃避痛苦现实的工具。

●第六段：

段意：

本段讲述了除模仿本能和幻想渴望之外促使戏剧独立化的原因，包括对人类困苦的乐观观点以及审美的观点。

难句分析：

1. For example, one sign of this condition is the appearance of the comic vision, since comedy requires sufficient detachment to view some deviations from social norms as ridiculous rather than as serious threats to the welfare of the entire group.

词汇：detachment原指“偏离”，此处指一种超脱的观点

短语：deviations from social norms：指与社会准则相偏离的表现

主干：one sign is the appearance of the comic vision,since comedy requires detachment to view deviation as ridiculous rather than as threats

释义：例如，这种情况的一个标志是喜剧观点的出现，因为喜剧要求人们充分地从痛苦中脱离，并将一些与社会准则相偏离的表现看做滑稽可笑的而不是视其为对群体利益的巨大威胁。

2. For example, some early societies ceased to consider certain rites essential to their well-being and abandoned them, nevertheless, they retained as parts of their oral tradition the myths that had grown up around the rites and admired them for their artistic qualities rather than for their religious usefulness.

短语：cease to：停止(做某事)

retain… as…：将…作为…保留下来

分句：“they retained as parts of their oral tradition the myths that had grown up around the rites”为倒装，实际上即“they retained the myths(that had grown up around the rites )as parts of their oral tradition”;

主干： some societies ceased to consider rites essential and abandoned them, nevertheless, they retained myths as oral tradition and admired them

释义：例如，一些早期社会不再认为特定仪式与他们的安康息息相关从而抛弃了这些仪式，然而，他们将围绕仪式产生的神话变为口头传授传统的一部分，并且对其所具有的艺术价值而不是宗教价值进行赞美。

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