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托福阅读理解真题
2002-07-23 08:37:57
In taking up a new life across the Atlantic, the early European settlers of the United States did not abandon the diversions with which their ancestors had traditionally relieved the tedium of life. Neither the harshness of existence on the new continent nor the scattered population nor the disapproval of the clergy discouraged the majority from the pursuit of pleasure.
City and country dwellers, of course, conducted this pursuit in different ways. Farm dwellers in their isolation not only found it harder to locate companions in play but also, thanks to the unending demands and pressures of their work, felt it necessary to combine fun with purpose. No other set of colonists took so seriously on expression of the period, "Leisure is time for doing something useful." In the countryside farmers therefore relieved the burden of the daily routine with such double-purpose relaxations as hunting, fishing, and trapping. When a neighbor need help, families rallied from miles around to assist in building a house or barn, husking corn, shearing sheep, or chopping wood. Food, drink, and celebration after the group work provided relaxation and soothed weary muscles.
The most eagerly anticipated social events were the rural fair. Hundreds of men, women, and children attended from far and near. The men bought or traded farm animals and acquired needed merchandise while the women displayed food prepared in their kitchens, and everyone, including the youngsters, watched or participated in a variety of competitive sports, with prizes awarded to the winners. These events typically included horse races, wrestling ,matches, and foot races, as well as some nonathletic events such as whistling competitions, No other occasions did so much to relieve the isolation of farm existence.
With the open countryside everywhere at hand, city dwellers naturally shared in some of the rural diversions. Favored recreations included fishing, hunting, skating, and swimming. But city dwellers also developed other pleasures, which only compact communities made possible.
重点单词：
across : ad. 横过,交叉,到另一边,在对面,成十字;prep. 横过,穿过,交叉,在...的对面
Atlantic : n. 大西洋;a. 大西洋的
abandon : vt. 放弃,抛弃,遗弃,使屈从,放纵 n. 放任,狂热,沉溺,无拘束
diversion : n. 转移
relieve : vt. 减轻,救济,解除,使免除,调剂,使显著,换...的班,衬托,使不单调;vi. 救济,换防,成浮雕
tedium : n. 厌烦,沉闷
harshness : n. 粗糙的事物,刺耳,严肃
scatter : n. 消散,分散,散播,散布,酒馆,散射;vi. 散布,散播,消散;vt. 使消散,使分散,撒,散射,散播,散布
disapproval : n. 不赞成
clergy : n. 圣职者,牧师,僧侣,神职人员
majority : n. 多数,大半
pursuit : n. 追踪,追捕,追求,追赶,工作,职业
dweller : n. 居民
conduct : n. 行为,举动,指导;vt. 引导,指挥,管理,实施;vi. 引导,传导,指挥
isolation : n. 隔绝,孤立,隔离
unending : a. 无穷尽的,无止境的,不停的
felt : n. 毛毯,毡;vt. 制毡,使粘结;vi. 粘结;vbl. feel的过去式和过去分词
necessary : n. 必需品,日用品;a. 必需的,必要的,必然的
expression : n. 表达,语法,措辞
leisure : n. 空闲,闲暇,悠闲;a. 空闲的,有闲的
burden : n. 负担,重载,担子,责任;vt. 装货于,麻烦,使负担
trapping : n. 设陷,陷入,俘获
rally : n. 重振旗鼓,集合,示威运动,价格回稳;vt. vi. 重整旗鼓,集合,恢复精神,挖苦,团结,嘲笑
assist : n. 帮助,协助;vt. 帮助,搀扶;vi. 协助,参加
barn : n. 谷仓
husk : n. 外壳,皮,无价值之物;vt. 剥...的壳,削皮
shearing : n. 剪羊毛,剪取的羊毛
chop : n. 厚肉片,排骨,砍,戳记,商标,交换;vt. 剁碎,砍,切,割断;vi. 砍,突然转向
soothe : vt. 缓和,使安静,安慰,奉承;vi. 起安慰作用
weary : a. 疲倦的,萎靡的,厌倦的,厌烦的;vt. 使疲倦,使厌烦;vi. 疲乏,生厌,不耐烦
eager : a. 热心的,渴望的,热望的
anticipate : vt. 预期,占先,提前使用
fair : n. 展览会,市集,美好的事物;a. 公平的,晴朗的,美丽的;ad. 公平地,清楚地;vi. 转晴
acquired : a. 已取得的,已获得的,已成习惯的,后天的
merchandise : n. 商品,存货;vi. vt. 交易,买卖
display : n. 显示,陈列,炫耀,显示器;vt. 显示,表现,夸示
youngster : n. 年青人,少年
participate : vi. 参加,分享,参与;vt. 分享,分担
competitive : a. 竞争的
award : n. 奖品,决定,判决;vt. 颁发,赏给
wrestling : n. 摔角,扭斗,格斗
athletic : a. 运动的
whistle : n. 口哨,汽笛,啸啸声,口哨声;vi. 吹口哨,鸣汽笛,发嘘嘘声;vt. 用口哨通知,用口哨演奏
occasion : n. 场合,时机,机会,诱因,理由;vt. 致使,惹起,引起
share : n. 部分,参与,一份,共享,份额,参股;vt. 均分,分担,分享,分配,共有;vi. 分享;n. DOS命令:使之支持文件的共享和锁定
diversion : n. 转移
skating : n. 溜冰
possible : a. 可能的,潜在的,合理的;n. 可能性,可能的事物  推荐给好友  打印本页
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