Why were these hundreds of thousands of settlers—most of them farmers, some of them artisans—drawn away from the cleared fields and established cities and villages of the East? Certain characteristics of American society help to explain this remarkable migration. The European ancestors of some Americans had for centuries lived rooted to the same village or piece of land until some religious, political, or economic crisis uprooted them and drove them across the Atlantic. Many of those who experienced this sharp break thereafter lacked the ties that had bound them and their ancestors to a single place. Moreover, European society was relatively stratified; occupation and social status were inherited. In American society, however, the class structure was less rigid; some people changed occupations easily and believed it was their duty to improve their social and economic position. As a result, many Americans were an inveterately restless, rootless, and ambitious people. Therefore, these social traits helped to produce the nomadic and daring settlers who kept pushing westward beyond the fringes of settlement. In addition, there were other immigrants who migrated west in search of new homes, material success, and better lives.T20 (1) 2
According to paragraph 2, all of the following are reasons why Americans migrated westward EXCEPT
A.the desire to move from one place to the next.
B.the hope of improving their socioeconomic status.
C.the opportunity to change jobs.
D.the need to escape religious or political crises.
我們首先看題目,題目問的是美國人向西遷徙的原因。因此要注意動作的發(fā)出者是American,以American定位到了1.the class structure was less rigid社會結構相對不僵硬死板; 2.some people changed occupations easily and believed it was their duty to improve their social and economic position.人們換工作更容易同時相信提高社會經(jīng)濟地位是他們的義務,即對應B選項提高社會經(jīng)濟地位的希望和C選項換工作的機會 3. many Americans were an inveterately restless, rootless, and ambitious people. Therefore, these social traits helped to produce the nomadic and daring settlers who kept pushing westward beyond the fringes of settlement.許多美國人是根深蒂固地不安,無根,有抱負的人。所以這些社會特點對遷徙有促進作用,而且不斷向西前進的勇者突破了駐扎的邊緣。這即對應了A選項從一個地方移到另一個地方的欲望。而D選項逃離宗教的破壞并不是美國人離開的原因,而對應的是上文的European ancestors歐洲祖先發(fā)出的。
重點詞、詞組
Remarkable:非凡的;奇異的
Uproot:使離開家園(或熟悉的地方等)
Stratified:有不同社會等級的,分層的
Inherited:繼承(金錢、財產(chǎn)等)
Rigid:死板的;僵硬的
Nomadic:游牧(生活)的