Section C

Passage One

整体预测

本短文三道题选项中的his works，personal history，childhood，grammar school，sources of clues和writers of his time表明，短文与某位闻名于世的作家及其作品有关，还可能涉及他的童年经历等。

What makes a person famous？This is a mystery that many people have carefully thought about.All kinds of myths surround the lives of well-known people.Most people are familiar with the works of William Shakespeare， one of the greatest English writers of the 16th and 17th centuries.[16]Yet how many know Shakespeare the person， the man behind the works？

[16]After centuries of research，scholars are still trying to discover Shakespeare’s personal history.It is not easily found in his writings.Authors of the time could not protect their works.An acting company，for example， could change a play if they wanted to.Nowadays，writers have copyrights that protect their work.Many myths arose about Shakespeare.Some said he had no formal education.Others believed that he began his career by tending the horses of wealthy men.All of these myths are interesting，but are they true？Probably not.

[17]Shakespeare’s father was a respected man in Stratford-upon-Avon，a member of the town council.He sent young William to grammar school.Most people of the Elizabethan times did not continue beyond grammar school， so Shakespeare did have at least an average education.[18]Some parts of Shakespeare’s life will always remain unknown.The Great London Fire of 1666 burned many important documents that could have been a source of clues. We will always be left with many questions and few facts.

16.What does the speaker say about William Shakespeare？

【解析】B）。短文中提到，大多数人都熟悉莎士比亚的作品。但是有多少人了解作品背后的莎士比亚本人呢？经过了几个世纪的研究，学者们仍在努力发现莎士比亚的个人历史。由此可知，莎士比亚的个人历史鲜为人知。

17.What do we learn about Shakespeare’s father？

【解析】D）。短文后半部分提到，莎士比亚的父亲在埃文河畔斯特拉特福是个受敬重的人，他是市议会的一员。

18.Why does the speaker say parts of Shakespeare’s life will remain a mystery？

【解析】C）。短文结尾提到，莎士比亚生活中的某些方面将一直不为人知。1666年的伦敦大火烧毁了很多本来可以提供线索的重要文件。由此可知，莎士比亚生活中的某些方面将依旧是个谜，这是因为可能的线索在一场大火中丢失了。

Passage Two

本短文三道题选项中的local customs，book tickets，hotel reservations和official transport表明，短文可能与外出旅行的准备工作有关。第19题的选项表明，短文还涉及旅行中可能会面临的问题。

整体预测

Wherever you go and for whatever reason，it’s important to be safe.[19]While the majority of people you will meet when travelling are sure to be friendly and welcoming，there are dangers，theft being the most common.

Just as in your home country，do not expect everyone you meet to be friendly and helpful.It’s important to prepare for your trip in advance and to take precautions while you are travelling.[20]As you prepare for your trip， make sure you have the right paperwork.You don’t want to get to your destination only to find you have the wrong visa，or worse，that your passport isn’t valid any more.Also，make sure you travel with proper medical insurance，so that if you are sick or injured during your travels，you’ll be able to get treatment.If you want to drive while you are abroad，make sure you have an international driver’s license.

[21]When you get to your destination，use official transport.Always go to bus and taxi stands.Don’t accept rides from strangers who offer you a lift.If there’s no meter in the taxi，agree on a price before you get in.If you prefer to stay in cheap hotels while travelling，make sure you can lock the door of your room from the inside.Finally， remember to smile.It’s the friendliest and most sincere form of communication，and is sure to be understood in any part of the world.

19.What is mentioned as a most common danger when people go travelling abroad？

【解析】A）。短文开头提到，尽管你在旅行过程中遇到的大多数人都会是友好、热情的，但还是会有危险，盗窃最为普遍。由此可知，出国旅行时最常见的危险是盗窃。

20.What is the most important thing to do when you prepare for your trip abroad？

【解析】B）。短文中提到，当你为旅行做准备的时候，要确保带上正确的文件。随后以签证和护照为例进行说明。由此可知，准备旅行时最重要的是带上正确的文件。

21.What does the speaker suggest you do when you arrive at your destination？

【解析】B）。短文后半部分提到，当你到达目的地后，要使用正规的交通工具。随后以去公共汽车站和出租汽车站为例进行说明，并提醒不要搭陌生人的顺风车。由此可知，说话者建议到达目的地后使用正规的交通工具。

Passage Three

整体预测

本短文四道题选项中的production cost，goods，products和businesspeople表明，短文可能与某商人及其经营策略有关。25题选项均为哲理性的语句表明，短文可能讲述一位商人的故事，并有一定的启示意义。

The British are supposed to be famous for laughing at themselves，[25]but even their sense of humour has a limit，as the British retailer Gerald Ratner found out to his cost.

[22]When Ratner took over his father’s chain of 130 jewellery shops in 1984，he introduced a very clear company policy.He decided that his shops should sell down-market products at the lowest possible prices.It was a great success.The British public loved his cheap gold earrings and his tasteless silver ornaments.

By 1991，Ratner’s company had 2，400 shops and it was worth over￡680 million.But in April of that year， Gerald Ratner made a big mistake.[23]At a big meeting of top British businesspeople，he stood up and explained the secret of his success.“People say，‘How can we sell our goods for such a low price？’I say，‘Because they are absolute rubbish.’”His audience roared with laughter.[24]But the British newspapers and the British public were not so amused.People felt insulted and stayed away from Ratner’s shops.Sales fell and six months after his speech， Ratner’s share price had fallen by 42%.The following year，things got worse and Gerald Ratner was forced to resign. By the end of 1992，he lost his company，his career and his house.Even worse，25，000 of his employees had lost their jobs.It had been a very expensive joke.

22.What did Gerald Ratner decide to do when he took over his father’s shops？

【解析】C）。短文前半部分提到，当拉特纳在1984年接管父亲的130家珠宝连锁店时，他实施了一个很明确的公司政策。他决定，他的店将以最低的价格卖低端产品。由此可知，杰拉尔德·拉特纳接管父亲的店铺之后决定出售低端商品。

23.On what occasion did Gerald Ratner explain the secret of his success？

【解析】A）。短文中提到，在一次英国商业精英参加的大会上，拉特纳站起来讲了他成功的秘诀。

24.How did people feel when they learned of Gerald Ratner’s remarks？

【解析】D）。短文后半部分提到，但是英国报业和民众并不觉得好笑。人们感觉被侮辱了，就不再光顾拉特纳的商店。由此可知，人们听到杰拉尔德·拉特纳的言论时感到被侮辱了。

25.What does the story of Gerald Ratner suggest？

【解析】B）。短文开头提到，英国人本来以自嘲闻名，但是英国的零售商杰拉尔德·拉特纳付出了代价之后才知道，即使是幽默感也是有限度的。由此可知，杰拉尔德·拉特纳的故事告诉我们，一个人的幽默感应该有限度。