1、雅思阅读练习题及答案Next Year Marks the EUs 50th Anniversary of the TreatyA.After a period of introversion and stunned self-disbelief, continental European governments will recover their enthusiasm for pan-European institution-building in 2007. Whether the European public will welcome a return to what voters
2、in two countries had rejected so short a time before is another matter.B.There are several reasons for Europes recovering self-confidence. For years European economies had been lagging dismally behind America (to say nothing of Asia), but in 2006 the large continental economies had one of their best
3、 years for a decade, briefly outstripping America in terms of growth. Since politics often reacts to economic change with a lag, 2006s improvement in economic growth will have its impact in 2007, though the recovery may be ebbing by then. C.The coming year also marks a particular point in a politica
4、l cycle so regular that it almost seems to amount to a natural law. Every four or five years, European countries take a large stride towards further integration by signing a new treaty: the Maastricht treaty in 1992, the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997, the Treaty of Nice in 2001. And in 2005 they were
5、supposed to ratify a European constitution, laying the ground for yet more integrationuntil the calm rhythm was rudely shattered by French and Dutch voters. But the political impetus to sign something every four or five years has only been interrupted, not immobilised, by this setback.D.In 2007 the
6、European Union marks the 50th anniversary of another treatythe Treaty of Rome, its founding charter. Government leaders have already agreed to celebrate it ceremoniously, restating their commitment to “ever closer union” and the basic ideals of European unity. By itself, and in normal circumstances,
7、 the EUs 50th-birthday greeting to itself would be fairly meaningless, a routine expression of European good fellowship. But it does not take a Machiavelli to spot that once governments have signed the declaration (and it seems unlikely anyone would be so uncollegiate as to veto it) they will alread
8、y be halfway towards committing themselves to a new treaty. All that will be necessary will be to incorporate the 50th-anniversary declaration into a new treaty containing a number of institutional and other reforms extracted from the failed attempt at constitution-building andhey prestoa new quasi-
9、constitution will be ready. E.According to the German governmentwhich holds the EUs agenda-setting presidency during the first half of 2007there will be a new draft of a slimmed-down constitution ready by the middle of the year, perhaps to put to voters, perhaps not. There would then be a couple of
10、years in which it will be discussed, approved by parliaments and, perhaps, put to voters if that is deemed unavoidable. Then, according to bureaucratic planners in Brussels and Berlin, blithely ignoring the possibility of public rejection, the whole thing will be signed, sealed and a new constitutio
11、n delivered in 2009-10. Europe will be nicely back on schedule. Its four-to-five-year cycle of integration will have missed only one beat.F.The resurrection of the European constitution will be made more likely in 2007 because of what is happening in national capitals. The European Union is not real
12、ly an autonomous organisation. If it functions, it is because the leaders of the big continental countries want it to, reckoning that an active European policy will help them get done what they want to do in their own countries. G.That did not happen in 2005-06. Defensive, cynical and self-destructi
13、ve, the leaders of the three largest euro-zone countriesFrance, Italy and Germanywere stumbling towards their unlamented ends. They saw no reason to pursue any sort of European policy and the EU, as a result, barely functioned. But by the middle of 2007 all three will have gone, and this fact alone
14、will transform the European political landscape.H.The upshot is that the politics of the three large continental countries, bureaucratic momentum and the economics of recovery will all be aligned to give a push towards integration in 2007. That does not mean the momentum will be irresistible or even
15、 popular. The British government, for one, will almost certainly not want to go with the flow, beginning yet another chapter in the long history of confrontation between Britain and the rest of Europe. More important, the voters will want a say. They rejected the constitution in 2005. It would be fo
16、olish to assume they will accept it after 2007 just as a result of an artful bit of tinkering.Questions 1-6Do the following statemets reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 1?Write your answer in Boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet. TRUE if the statemenht reflets the claims of the writerFALS
17、E if the statement contradicts the claims of the writerNOT GIVEN if it is possbile to say what the writer thinks about this1.After years introspection and mistrust, continental European governments will resurrect their enthusiasm for more integration in 2007.2. The European consitution was officiall
18、y approved in 2005 in spite of the oppositon of French and Dutch voters.3. The Treaty of Rome , which is considered as the fundamental charter of the European Union, was signed in 1957.4.It is very unlikely that European countries will sign the declaration at the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Ro
19、me.5.French government will hold the EUs presidency and lay down the agenda during the first half of 2008.6.For a long time in hisotry, there has been confrontation between Britain and the rest of European countries.Questions 7-10Complet the following sentencces. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from
20、 Reading Passage 1 for each answer.Write your answer in Boxes 7-10 on your answer sheet.7. Every four or five years, European countries tend to make a rapid progress towards _by signing a new treaty.8. The European constitution is supposed to _for yet more integration of European Union member countr
21、ies.9. The bureaucratic planners in Brussels and Berlin rashly ignore the possibility of _and think the new consitution will be delivered in 2009-10.10. The politics of the three large continental countries, _ and the economic recovery will join together to urge the integration in 2007. Questions 11
22、-14Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 11-14 on your answer sheet.11. Which of the following statemnts is true of Euopean economic development.A. The economy of Europe developed much faster than that of Asia before 2006.B. The growth of European economy was slightly slower tha
23、n that of America in 2006.C. The development of European economy are likely to slow down by 2007.D. The recovery of European economy may be considerably accelerated by 2007.12. The word “immobilised” in the last line of Section C means _.A. stopped completely.B. pushed strongly.C. motivated wholely.
24、 D. impeded totally.13. Which of the following statements about the treaties in European countries is NOT TRUE.A. The Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992.B. The Treaty of Amsterdan was signed in 1997.C. The Treaty of Nice was signed in 2001.D. The Treaty of Rome was signed in 2007.14. The European
25、constitution failed to be ratified in 2005-2006, becauseA. The leaders of France, Italy and Germany were defensive, cynical and self-destructuve.B. The voters in two countries of the Union -France and Holland rejected the constitution. C. The leaders of the EU thought that it was unneccessary to pur
26、sue any European policy.D. France, Italy and Germany are the three largest and most influential euro-zone countries.Part IINotes to the Reading Passage1. pan-Enropeanpan-: 前缀：全，总，泛pan-African 全/泛非洲的（运动）pan-Enropean全/泛欧的（机构建设）2. outstrip超越，胜过，超过，优于Material development outstripped human development”“物
27、质的发展超过了人类的进步”3. ebb回落跌落；衰退或消减The tide is on the ebb.正在退潮。4. Machiavelli马基雅维利，尼克尔1469-1527意大利政治理论家，他的著作君主论(1513年）阐述了一个意志坚定的统治者不顾道德观念的约束如何获得并保持其权力。文章中意为“任何一个人都可以看到，显而易见。”。5. hey presto突然地；立即（魔术师用语）您看，变！6. upshot结果；结局Part IIIKeys to the Questions 1-141. TRUEExplanation See the first sentence in Section
28、 A “Aftera period of introversion and stunned self-disbelief, continental European governments will recover their enthusiasm for pan-European institution-building in 2007”.2. FALSEExplanationSee the third sentence in Section C “And in 2005 they were supposed to ratify a European constitution, laying
29、 the ground for yet more integrationuntil the calm rhythm was rudely shattered by French and Dutch voters.”.3. TRUEExplanation See the first sentence in the Section D “In 2007 the European Union marks the 50th anniversary of another treatythe Treaty of Rome, its founding charter.”.4. FALSEExplanatio
30、nSee the third sentence in Section D“But it does not take a Machiavelli to spot that once governments have signed the declaration (and it seems unlikely anyone would be so uncollegiate as to veto it) they will already be halfway towards committing themselves to a new treaty”.5. NOT GIVENExplanationS
31、ee the first sentence in Section E “According to the German governmentwhich holds the EUs agenda-setting presidency during the first half of 2007”.6. TRUEExplanationSee the third sentence in Section H“The British government, for one, will almost certainly not want to go with the flow, beginning yet
32、another chapter in the long history of confrontation between Britain and the rest of Europe”.7. further integrationExplanationSee the second sentence in Section C“Every four or five years, European countries take a large stride towards further integration by signing a new treaty”.8. lay the groundEx
33、planationSee the third sentence in Section C “And in 2005 they were supposed to ratify a European constitution, laying the ground for yet more integrationuntil the calm rhythm was rudely shattered by French and Dutch voters.”.9. publc rejectionExplanationSee the third sentence in Section E“Then, acc
34、ording to bureaucratic planners in Brussels and Berlin, blithely ignoring the possibility of public rejection, the whole thing will be signed, sealed and a new constitution delivered in 2009-10.”10. bureaucratc momentumExplanationSee the frst sentence in Section H “The upshot is that the politics of
35、 the three large continental countries, bureaucratic momentum and the economics of recovery will all be aligned to give a push towards integration in 2007.”.11. CExplanationSee the last sentence in Section B “Since politics often reacts to economic change with a lag, 2006s improvement in economic gr
36、owth will have its impact in 2007, though the recovery may be ebbing by then”. 12. AExplanationSee the last sentence in Section C “But the political impetus to sign something every four or five years has only been interrupted, not immobilised, by this setback.”13 . D Explanation See the first senten
37、ce in Section D “In 2007 the European Union marks the 50th anniversary of another treatythe Treaty of Rome, its founding charter.”14 .BExplanationSee third sentence in Section C: “And in 2005 they were supposed to ratify a European constitution, laying the ground for yet more integrationuntil the calm rhythm was rudely shattered by French and Dutch voters.”.
