Directions:

In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 41-45, choose the most suitable one from the lish A-G to fit into each of the numbered blank. There are two extra choices that do not fit in any of the gaps. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)

The making of weathervanes (devices fixed on the top of buildings to show directions of the wind) is an ancient skill, going back to early Egyptian times. Today the craft is still very much alive in the workshop that Graham Smith has set up. He is one of the few people in the country who make hand-cut weathervanes. Graham’s designs are individually created and tailored to the specific requirements of his customers. “That way I can produce a unique personalized item,” he explains, “A lot of my customers are women buying presents for their husbands. They want a distinctive gift that represents the man’s business or leisure interests.”

It’s all a far cry from the traditional cock, the most common design for weathervanes.

It was not a cock but a witch on a broomstick that featured on the first weathervane Graham ever made. Friends admired his surprise present for his wife and began asking him to make vanes for them. “I realized that when it came to subjects that could be made into them, the possibilities were limitless,” he says.

(1)_____________.

That was five years ago and he has no regrets about his new direction. “My previous work didn’t have an artistic element to it, whereas this is exciting and creative,” he says. “I really enjoy the design side.”

(2) _____________.

Graham also keeps plenty of traditional designs in stock, since they prove as popular as the one-offs. “It seems that people are attracted to handcrafting,” Graham says. “They welcome the opportunity to acquire something a little bit different.”

(3) _____________.

“I have found my place in the market. People love the individuality and I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing a nondescript shape turn into something almost lifelike,” he says.

(4) _____________.

 “And nowadays, with more and more people moving to the country, individuals want to put an exclusive finishing touch to their properties. It has been a boost to crafts like mines,”

(5) _____________.

American and Danish buyers in particular are showing interest. “Pricing,” he explains, “depends on the intricacy of the design.”His most recent request was for a curly-coated dog. Whatever the occasion, Graham can create a gift with a difference.

［A］Graham has become increasingly busy, supplying flat-packed weathervanes to clients worldwide.

［B］Graham decided to concentrate his efforts on a weathervane business. He had served an apprenticeship as a precision engineer and had worked in that trade for 15 years when he and his wife, Liz, agreed to swap roles—she went out to work as an architectural assistant and he stayed at home to look after the children and build up the business.

［C］Last month, a local school was opened with his galleon ship weathervane hoisted above it.

［D］“For centuries, weathervanes have kept communities in touch with the elements, signaling those shifts in wind direction that bring about changes in the weather,” he explains.

［E］Graham has no plans for expansion, as he wants to keep the business as a rural craft.

［F］Graham has now perfected over 100 original designs. He works to very fine detail, always seeking approval for the design of the silhouette from the customer before proceeding with the hand-cutting.

参考答案

1. B 2.F  3.E  4.D  5.A

总体分析

本文通过介绍格雷汉姆的个人经历说明制作风向标这种传统手工艺在现代社会又焕发了生机。

［A］ 格雷汉姆忙着给世界各地的顾客供应风向标。

［B］ 格雷汉姆过去的工作经历以及如何开始从事风向标生意的。

［C］ 上个月开办的一所地方学校就升起了他制作的大型帆船风向标。

［D］ 风向标过去的作用是使人类与天气保持联系。

［E］ 格雷汉姆只想把风向标保持为一种乡村手工艺。

［F］ 格雷汉姆设计得非常精细，并总是设法先让顾客对设计满意。

试题精解

1.［精解］ 本题考查的知识点是：上下文的衔接

本题空格上文是文章的前三段。前两段介绍了主人公格雷汉姆是制作风向标的手工艺者，他为顾客特制不同于传统设计的风向标。第三段提到，格雷汉姆做的第一个风向标引起了朋友的兴趣，也让他自己意识到了商机的存在。空格下文即第五段第一句提到，“那是五年前的事了”。与上文衔接，空格处应继续围绕格雷汉姆从事风向标的制作展开论述。与下文衔接，空格处应论述五年前的情况。因此［B］正确。其中第一句话“格雷汉姆决定把精力投入到风向标生意上”与上文论述的“发现商机”衔接紧密，后面部分出现的“15 years”与下文“five years ago”相呼应。

2.［精解］ 本题考查的知识点是：上下文的衔接+段群的主题

本题空格上文即第五段，论述了格雷汉姆对设计风向标工作的喜爱。空格下文即第七段提到，格雷汉姆也保留了很多传统设计。可见，上下文主要围绕“设计”这个主题展开论述。而且，下文出现的特征词“also”表明空格部分与下文存在递进关系。［F］中“original designs”与下文“traditional designs”对照呼应，因此是正确项。

3.［精解］ 本题考查的知识点是：上下文的衔接

空格上文即第七段后半部分提到，人们对手工制作很感兴趣。空格下文即第九段开始提到，格雷汉姆已经在市场上占有了一席之地。涉及“市场”的是［E］，其中“格雷汉姆想把它保持为一种乡村手工艺”与下文“占有了一定的市场”含义衔接。此外，［E］中“craft”与上文“handcrafting”是词汇重复。

4.［精解］ 本题考查的知识点是：上下文内容上的呼应

空格下文即第十一段主要论述了现在像风向标制作这样的手工艺发展的原因。其中关键词是“and nowadays”，它表明了与空格处逻辑上存在并列关系。与“现在”形成对比的是“过去”，［D］论述了风向标过去传统的功能，即过去存在的原因。

5.［精解］ 本题考查的知识点是：上下文的衔接+词语的复现

空格下文即全文最后一段论述了格雷汉姆销售风向标的情况，其中“buyers”为关键词。［A］和［F］分别出现了同义词“clients”和“customer”。但［F］主要谈论的是设计方面的问题，［A］才是有关销售的内容，而且“worldwide”一词与下文“American and Danish”呼应。因此［A］正确。

核心词汇或超纲词汇

(1)a far（或long） cry from习惯用语，相当于very different from（与……相差甚远，与……大相径庭），如The published book is far cry from the early manuscript.（印刷出来的书与当初的手稿相差甚远。）

(2)swap（v./n.）交换，交易，如They swapped stories about their army days.（他们互相讲述了在军队中的经历。）

(3)one-off (n.) 一次性的事物，绝无仅有的事物；(a.)一次性的，非经常的，如a ~ payment（一次性付款）

(4)nondescript（a.）莫可名状的，难以区别的，无特征的

(5)the elements（尤指恶劣的）天气

(6)touch（n.）修饰，润色，装点，如to put the finishing ~es to the report（给报告做最后的润色）。

(7)flat-packed平整包装的，即，购买者需要自己组装产品。

全文翻译

风向标（固定在建筑物顶端用来指示风向的设备）的制作是一门古老的工艺，可以追溯到古埃及时代。如今这项工艺在格雷汉姆·史密斯建立的工作室里依然散发着生机。他是这个国家里仅有的几个从事手工制作风向标的人之一。格雷汉姆的设计是为个人制作的，他按照顾客的具体要求量身订做。“这样我就能生产出独特的个性化的产品”，他解释说，“我的许多顾客都是女性，她们在为丈夫买礼物。她们想要能代表男人事业或业余兴趣的特制的礼物。”

它们与风向标最普通的设计，即传统公鸡形状的风向标相差甚远。

格雷汉姆做的第一个风向标不是公鸡形状的，而是一个在长柄扫帚上的女巫。朋友们都羡慕他这份给妻子带来惊喜的礼物，开始纷纷要求为他们也制作风向标。他说，“我意识到当涉及用风向标可以表现的题材时，其可能性是无穷无尽的。”

格雷汉姆决定把精力投入到风向标生意上。他曾经当过精密度工程师学徒，并在这个行业中工作了15年，然后他和妻子同意交换一下角色——妻子外出工作，当助理建筑工程师，而丈夫留在家中照顾孩子并建立自己的事业。[B]

那是五年前的事了，格雷汉姆对自己选择的新方向没有后悔。他说，“我以前的工作没有任何艺术性，而现在这种工作充满了刺激与创造性，我真的喜欢设计。”

格雷汉姆现在已经完善了100多个原创设计。他精工细作，总是在动手制作前先让顾客对轮廓的设计满意。[F]

格雷汉姆也保留了很多传统设计，因为它们被证实与偶然的创造一样受欢迎。他说，“看上去人们对手工制作很感兴趣，他们想有机会获得一些与众不同的东西”。

格雷汉姆没有扩展（工作室）规模的计划，因为他想把它保持为一种乡村手工艺。[E]

他说，“我已经在市场上占有了一席之地。人们喜爱个性化的东西，而当我看到一个没有任何特色的形状变得栩栩如生时，感到非常满足。”

他解释到，“几个世纪以来，风向标发送引起天气变化的风向转变的信号，从而使人类社会与天气保持联系。”[D]

“然而现在，随着越来越多的人迁入乡村，很多人想给自己的财产做最后的独特的修饰。这促进了我这样的手工艺的发展。”

格雷汉姆越来越忙，忙着给世界各地的顾客供应平整包装的风向标。[A]

美国和丹麦顾客特别感兴趣。他解释说，“价格的制定取决于设计的复杂性。”他最近的定单是一只卷毛狗。无论什么情况下，格雷汉姆都可以制作出与众不同的礼物。