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第17关
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The phrase almost completes itself: midlife crisis. It's the stage in the middle of the journey when people feel youth vanishing, their prospects narrowing and death approaching.
There's only one problem with the cliche（套话）. It isn't true.
"In fact, there is almost no hard evidence for midlife crisis other than a few small pilot studies conducted decades ago," Barbara Hagerty writes in her new book, Life Reimagined. The bulk of the research shows that there may be a pause, or a shifting of gears in the 40s or 50s, but this shift "can be exciting, rather than terrifying."
Barbara Hagerty looks at some of the features of people who turn midlife into a rebirth. They break routines, because "autopilot is death." They choose purpose over happiness—having a clear sense of purpose even reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease. They give priority to relationships, as careers often recede （逐渐淡化）.
Life Reimagined paints a picture of middle age that is far from gloomy. Midlife seems like the second big phase of decision-making. Your identity has been formed; you've built up your resources; and now you have the chance to take the big risks precisely because your foundation is already secure.
Karl Barth described midlife precisely this way. At middle age, he wrote, "the sowing is behind; now is the time to reap. The run has been taken; now is the time to leap. Preparation has been made; now is the time for the venture of the work itself."
The middle-aged person, Barth continued, can see death in the distance, but moves with a "measured haste" to get big new things done while there is still time.
What Barth wrote decades ago is even truer today. People are healthy and energetic longer. We have presidential candidates running for their first term in office at age 68, 69 and 74. A longer lifespan is changing the narrative structure of life itself. What could have been considered the beginning of a descent is now a potential turning point—the turning point you are most equipped to take full advantage of.
1
What does the author think of the phrase "midlife crisis"?
A.
It has led to a lot of debate.
B.
It is widely acknowledged.
C.
It is no longer fashionable.
D.
It misrepresents real life.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
D
系统解析：
推理判断题。作者在第一段说明了大家对“中年危机”的常见消极理解，在第二段进行转折，表明自己的观点：这个套话只有一个问题，那就是它不对。故答案为D。
2
How does Barbara Hagerty view midlife?
A.
It may be the beginning of a crisis.
B.
It can be a new phase of one's life.
C.
It can be terrifying for the unprepared.
D.
It may see old-age diseases approaching.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
B
系统解析：
由题干中的Barbara Hagerty和view midlife定位到第四段第一句。推理判断题。定位句指出,芭芭拉·哈格蒂注意到了那些在中年时期重获新生的人们的一些特征。由此可知，在她看来，中年是重新开始人生的好时机，故答案为B。
3
How is midlife pictured in the book Life Reimagined?
A.
It can be quite rosy.
B.
It can be burdensome.
C.
It undergoes radical transformation.
D.
It makes for the best part of one's life.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
C
系统解析：
由题干中的midlife pictured和Life Reimagined定位到第五段。推理判断题。定位段指出，《重新想象的生活》一书描绘了一幅远离悲观黯淡的中年时期的画面。中年时期就像是第二大决策阶段，你有基础去承担一些大的风险。再结合第三段最后一句提到的四五十岁时(中年)可能会出现转变，可推出答案为C。
4
According to Karl Barth, midlife is the time ______.
A.
to relax
B.
to mature
C.
to harvest
D.
to reflect
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
C
系统解析：
由题干中的Karl Barth和midlife定位到第六段。推理判断题。定位段提到，卡尔·巴特认为中年是播种后等待收割的季节，是助跑后享受起跳的时刻，是万事俱备后将事业做得风生水起的时候。由此推出，在卡尔·巴特眼中，中年是“收获”的时候，故答案为C。
5
What does the author say about midlife today?
A.
It is more meaningful than other stages of life.
B.
It is likely to change the narrative of one's life.
C.
It is more important to those with a longer lifespan.
D.
It is likely to be a critical turning point in one's life.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
D
系统解析：
由题干中的midlife today定位到第八段第一句和最后一句。推理判断题。在这两句中作者提到，巴特几十年前所写的内容在今天看来更为真实。以前曾被认为是下坡路开始的时刻现在则是潜在的转折点。由此可知，今天的中年生活很可能成为生命当中一个关键的转折点，故答案为D。
In spring, chickens start laying again, bringing a welcome source of protein at winter's end. So it's no surprise that cultures around the world celebrate spring by honoring the egg.
Some traditions are simple, like the red eggs that get baked into Greek Easter breads. Others elevate the egg into a fancy art, like the heavily jewel-covered "eggs" that were favored by the Russians starting in the 19th century.
One ancient form of egg art comes to us from Ukraine. For centuries, Ukrainians have been drawing complicated patterns on eggs. Contemporary artists have followed this tradition to create eggs that speak to the anxieties of our age: Life is precious, and delicate. Eggs are, too.
"There's something about their delicate nature that appeals to me," says New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast. Several years ago, she became interested in eggs and learned the traditional Ukrainian technique to draw her very modern characters. "I've broken eggs at every stage of the process—from the very beginning to the very, very end. "
But there's an appeal in that vulnerability. "There's part of this sickening horror of knowing you're walking on the edge with this, that I kind of like, knowing that it could all fall apart at any second" Chast's designs, such as a worried man alone in a tiny rowboat, reflect that delicateness.
Traditional Ukrainian decorated eggs also spoke to those fears. The elaborate patterns were believed to offer protection against evil.
"There's an ancient legend that as long as these eggs are made, evil will not prevail in the world," says Joan Brander, a Canadian egg-painter who has been painting eggs for over 60 years, having learned the art from her Ukrainian relatives.
The tradition, dating back to 300 B. C., was later incorporated into the Christian church. The old symbols, however, still endure. A decorated egg with a bird on it, given to a young married couple, is a wish for children. A decorated egg thrown into the field would be a wish for a good harvest.
6
Why do people in many cultures prize the egg?
A.
It is a welcome sign of the coming of spring.
B.
It is their major source of protein in winter.
C.
It can easily be made into a work of art.
D.
It can bring wealth and honor to them.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
A
系统解析：
由题干中的cultures和prize the egg定位到第一段第二句。细节辨认题。前一句提到鸡蛋是蛋白质的重要来源，接下来定位句则指出，全世界的文化都通过赞扬蛋来庆祝春天的到来，故答案为A。
7
What do we learn about the decorated "eggs" in Russia?
A.
They are shaped like jewel cases.
B.
They are cherished by the rich.
C.
They are heavily painted in red.
D.
They are favored as a form of art.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
D
系统解析：
由题干中的the decorated “eggs” in Russia定位到第二段第二句。推理判断题。定位句指出，其他的习俗把鸡蛋上升到华丽的艺术层面，像俄罗斯人就喜欢用繁复的珠宝来装饰鸡蛋，故答案为D。
8
Why have contemporary artists continued the egg art tradition?
A.
Eggs serve as an enduring symbol of new life.
B.
Eggs have an oval shape appealing to artists.
C.
Eggs reflect the anxieties of people today.
D.
Eggs provide a unique surface to paint on.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
C
系统解析：
由题干中的contemporary artists和tradition定位到第三段第三、四句。推理判断题。由定位句可知，当代艺术家追随这一彩蛋传统就是为了表达当代生活中的焦虑，故答案为C。
9
Why does Chast enjoy the process of decorating eggs?
A.
She never knows if the egg will break before the design is completed.
B.
She can add multiple details to the design to communicate her idea.
C.
She always derives great pleasure from designing something new.
D.
She is never sure what the final design will look like until the end.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
A
系统解析：
由题干中的Chast和enjoy定位到第五段前两句。细节辨认题。本题问的是为什么查斯特喜欢装饰鸡蛋的过程。定位句提到，正是这种脆弱让它(装饰鸡蛋)具有吸引力，鸡蛋随时会碎掉的这种恐惧正是她所喜欢的，故答案为A。
10
What do we learn from the passage about egg-painting?
A.
It originated in the eastern part of Europe.
B.
It has a history of over two thousand years.
C.
It is the most time-honored form of fancy art.
D.
It is especially favored as a church decoration.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
B
系统解析：
题目中没有可以定位的关键词，本题采用排除法。推理判断题。A.“它起源于欧洲东部”，文中指出一种古老的彩蛋艺术形式来自乌克兰，但这并不等同于乌克兰就是这门艺术的起源地，故此项可以排除;C.“这是最久享盛名的精美艺术形式”，文中并没有提到，故可以排除;D.“它尤其被教堂装饰所青睐”，文中提到彩蛋装饰这一传统后来被融入基督教堂中，但并没有提到教堂尤其喜欢用它来进行装饰，可以排除。由最后一段开头可知，这一传统可追溯到公元前300年，即它的历史超过了2,000年，故答案为B。
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