单选题 Some 60 years ago, George Orwell wrote an allegorical novel, called Nineteen Eighty-Four, to describe life in a futuristic Britain under a one party police-state presided over by an all-powerful figure known as Big Brother. One of the features of the nasty world described by Orwell was its systematic misuse of language, which went by the name of "Newspeak". By re-defining words and endlessly repeating them, the Ministry of Truth through the Thought Police was able to control what people thought, and through that, their actions. Language was instrumental in destroying the culture. The same technique is being used by different people today, with similar effects. In all areas of public administration, the words "spouse" , "husband" and "wife" have been replaced by the word "partner", although the words are subtly but substantially different in meaning, and convey different realities. In some schools and university departments, feminist ideologues have dictated that the personal pronoun "he" must not be used, and is replaced by the word "they" , which means something different. The word " homophobic" , which just a few years ago was used to describe a person who supported vigilante action against homosexuals, is now being used to describe anyone who defends the universal definition of marriage. Although the transformation of language is seen most obviously around social issues, it is also being used systematically to shape political debate. So, we are told that the federal government is introducing a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which is newspeak for its new carbon tax. The fact is that the new tax is not remotely concerned with "carbon pollution" at all, but rather with emissions of the gas CO 2 which is not a pollutant by any credible definition, but rather, an essential building block in every cell in every living plant and creature. By the government's own admission, it will not lead to any reduction in CO 2 levels, either in Australia or globally. And the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is being introduced in Australia at the same time the government is expanding exports of coal, which is virtually 100 percent carbon, to countries such as China. We live in a society in which the ordinary meaning of words is being systematically manipulated by spin-doctors and ideologues, as a means of changing the way people think, and, more fundamentally, the way they act. Language is an important part of the culture wars. For those of us who see this as a challenge to the foundations of society, it is important that we identify the problem and expose it. It is clearly preferable to avoid using the new debased, transformed language of the politically-correct left, although this can be difficult in situations where constant usage has already normalized it, as has happened with the term "same-sex marriage". The alternative phrase, "same-sex unions" , has a different meaning. When such terms are used, they should be identified for what they are: a form of linguistic dishonesty, designed to undermine existing institutions and transform them.
单选题 Which of the following descriptions is INCORRECT about George Orwell's allegorical novel Nineteen Eighty-Four?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】解析:信息判断题。文章首段介绍George Orwell的小说Nineteen Eighty—Four,描述的是未来英国发生的故事(futuristic Britain),提及了小说中滥用语言的状况。本文首句提到大约60年前创作了《1984》,由此可推知,小说创作于20世纪。选项A,B,D的内容文章中均有涉及。选项C内容与文意不符。故答案为C。
单选题 Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an example of misuse of language?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】解析:细节判断题。文章第二段“feminist ideologues have dictated that the personal pronoun“he”mustnot be used,and is replaced by the word“they””与选项A信息一致。“In all areas of publicadministration,the words“spouse”,“husband”and“wife”have been replace by the word“partner””与选项B信息一致。“The word“homophobic”,which just a few years ago was used to describe…defends the universal definition of marriage”与选项C信息一致。选项D未提及。故答案为D。
单选题 The example of carbon pollution is used to illustrate______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】解析:信息推断题。文章第三段提及政府的辩论会让语言产生转变。之后列举Carbon Pollution的例子,主要是说明政府在语言改变中所起的作用。选项B与此信息一致。故答案为B。
单选题 The underlined word "credible" in Para. 3 means______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】解析:词义推断题。文章第三段提及联邦政府正在介绍《碳污染减排计划》,而这只不过是为新的烟尘排放税打的官腔。新的烟尘排放税根本没有涉及碳污染,而是把二氧化碳视作污染源。二氧化碳在任何可靠定义里都只是生物的基本组成元素而已。因此,可知creditable应为“可靠的,可信赖的”意思。A选项reliable表示“可靠的,可信赖的”的意思。故答案为A。
单选题 According to the passage, transformed language serves to______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】解析:信息推断题。文章首段以《1984》为例说明语言转变影响人们的思考和行为,之后通过carbonpollution和partner的例子证明这一观点。文章倒数第二段首句提及词汇的基本意思被改变了,并被当成改变人们思维和行为的手段。选项B与此信息一致。故答案为B。