问答题
5. In the middle of the fourteenth century, a devastating plague called the Black Death swept through parts of Asia and much of Europe. It originated in Asia around 1343, reached Eastern Europe by 1346, and by 1350, it had spread virtually everywhere in Europe, where it did not abate until 1352. It is estimated that between 75 and 100 million people died during that time. The Black Death had long-term negative economic, social, and religious impacts on society.
Economically, the Black Death destroyed the fabric of trade and the means of living for most Europeans. People were typically frightened to leave their homes unless it was absolutely necessary, so they failed to work. Fear of the illness led people to shun others, so strangers were treated with suspicion and were often barred from entering towns and villages. As a result, trade ground to a halt everywhere, resulting in goods becoming scarce and prices skyrocketing.
Socially, the fabric of society unraveled. Because people were afraid of coming into contact with others, many of the social aspects of life disappeared. Due to the high loss of life, farms were abandoned, and villages remained empty for many years afterward. There was a sense of hopelessness and a loss of faith in doctors and men of learning as they seemed to have no ideas regarding how to stop the plague from spreading.
As the Black Death continued killing people, the survivors turned to the church to save them. Much of the burden of caring for the sick fell upon priests, who, as a result, suffered a high rate of illness and death. When prayer subsequently failed, people lost faith in God and religion. This had a long-term negative effect because after the plague ended, people began indulging themselves in living lives of pleasure.
Economically, the Black Death destroyed the fabric of trade and the means of living for most Europeans. People were typically frightened to leave their homes unless it was absolutely necessary, so they failed to work. Fear of the illness led people to shun others, so strangers were treated with suspicion and were often barred from entering towns and villages. As a result, trade ground to a halt everywhere, resulting in goods becoming scarce and prices skyrocketing.
Socially, the fabric of society unraveled. Because people were afraid of coming into contact with others, many of the social aspects of life disappeared. Due to the high loss of life, farms were abandoned, and villages remained empty for many years afterward. There was a sense of hopelessness and a loss of faith in doctors and men of learning as they seemed to have no ideas regarding how to stop the plague from spreading.
As the Black Death continued killing people, the survivors turned to the church to save them. Much of the burden of caring for the sick fell upon priests, who, as a result, suffered a high rate of illness and death. When prayer subsequently failed, people lost faith in God and religion. This had a long-term negative effect because after the plague ended, people began indulging themselves in living lives of pleasure.
【正确答案】Sample Note-READING
Black Death had negative effects on Europe
1 harmed economy
-destroyed trade and means of living for Europeans
-people too afraid to go out→didn't work
-trade halted→goods became scarce and prices rose
2 harmed social life
-people afraid to come into contact w/others
-farms and villages abandoned
-sense of hopelessness
3 harmed religious life
-people turned to church→priests got infected and died
-people lost faith in God and religion
Sample Note-LISTENING
Black Death had some positive effects on Europe
1 helped peasants
-freed them from land+ended feudalism
-trade stimulated→inspired Age of Exploration as people looked for new trade routes
2 changes in land, medicine, and science
-peasants could buy cheap land
-made inquiries into medicine and science→many new discoveries
3 reformed Church
-questioned Church and practices→became more secular
-led to Renaissance and Protestant Reformation
Sample Essay
Both the lecture and the reading passage discuss the effects that the Black Death had on Europe after it ended. The reading passage claims that there were many negative effects, but the professor disagrees and explains how the plague had positive effects on society.
The first point the professor covers is how Europe was affected economically. In contrast to the reading passage, which argues that trade stopped while goods became hard to find, the professor states that peasants earned more money and got better job situations. Furthermore, she credits the Black Death with inspiring Europeans to search for new trade routes, which started the Age of Exploration.
The professor also remarks that people began turning to science in an effort to defeat the plague. This, she believes, resulted in an increase of knowledge that led to many scientific discoveries being made in later centuries. Her argument thus goes against the claim in the reading passage that people turned against academics because they could not find a cure for the disease.
Regarding religion, the writer of the reading passage declares that people turned against the church because they lost faith, so they started living lives of pleasure. But the professor argues differently in stating that the Church was reformed and both the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation occurred after the Black Death ended.
Black Death had negative effects on Europe
1 harmed economy
-destroyed trade and means of living for Europeans
-people too afraid to go out→didn't work
-trade halted→goods became scarce and prices rose
2 harmed social life
-people afraid to come into contact w/others
-farms and villages abandoned
-sense of hopelessness
3 harmed religious life
-people turned to church→priests got infected and died
-people lost faith in God and religion
Sample Note-LISTENING
Black Death had some positive effects on Europe
1 helped peasants
-freed them from land+ended feudalism
-trade stimulated→inspired Age of Exploration as people looked for new trade routes
2 changes in land, medicine, and science
-peasants could buy cheap land
-made inquiries into medicine and science→many new discoveries
3 reformed Church
-questioned Church and practices→became more secular
-led to Renaissance and Protestant Reformation
Sample Essay
Both the lecture and the reading passage discuss the effects that the Black Death had on Europe after it ended. The reading passage claims that there were many negative effects, but the professor disagrees and explains how the plague had positive effects on society.
The first point the professor covers is how Europe was affected economically. In contrast to the reading passage, which argues that trade stopped while goods became hard to find, the professor states that peasants earned more money and got better job situations. Furthermore, she credits the Black Death with inspiring Europeans to search for new trade routes, which started the Age of Exploration.
The professor also remarks that people began turning to science in an effort to defeat the plague. This, she believes, resulted in an increase of knowledge that led to many scientific discoveries being made in later centuries. Her argument thus goes against the claim in the reading passage that people turned against academics because they could not find a cure for the disease.
Regarding religion, the writer of the reading passage declares that people turned against the church because they lost faith, so they started living lives of pleasure. But the professor argues differently in stating that the Church was reformed and both the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation occurred after the Black Death ended.
【答案解析】 [听力原文]
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
W Professor: While the Black Death destroyed much of fourteenth-century European society, for those who survived, life actually became better. That's right. I said better. This may sound odd, but Europe actually benefited from the Black Death. For one, the continent was overpopulated at the time, but the plague killed anywhere between one third and one half of the people living there. Initially, this negatively affected Europe, but, uh, in the end, the reduced population made things better.
How...? Well, for one, it freed the surviving peasants from the land in many places and brought feudalism to an end. With so few laborers to be found, peasants could demand higher wages and travel to places where they could obtain better employment. There was also an increased demand for luxury goods since the survivors decided to enjoy their lives more. This stimulated trade and is considered to have inspired the onset of the Age of Exploration, during which people searched for new trade routes around the world.
Furthermore, uh, the loss of so many people created huge tracts of empty farmland, which, in turn, the surviving peasants could purchase cheaply. There were additionally great changes in medicine and scientific research. When prayers and other spiritual methods failed to stop the plague, men of learning searched for new ways. While they failed to find a cure for the plague, their inquiries into the world of knowledge resulted in countless new discoveries in the centuries after the Black Death ended.
While the plague caused many people to question both God and religion, it also led to the reform of the Church. People began questioning the Church and its practices and started thinking in more secular terms. This helped bring about the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation, both of which had tremendous impacts on society.
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
W Professor: While the Black Death destroyed much of fourteenth-century European society, for those who survived, life actually became better. That's right. I said better. This may sound odd, but Europe actually benefited from the Black Death. For one, the continent was overpopulated at the time, but the plague killed anywhere between one third and one half of the people living there. Initially, this negatively affected Europe, but, uh, in the end, the reduced population made things better.
How...? Well, for one, it freed the surviving peasants from the land in many places and brought feudalism to an end. With so few laborers to be found, peasants could demand higher wages and travel to places where they could obtain better employment. There was also an increased demand for luxury goods since the survivors decided to enjoy their lives more. This stimulated trade and is considered to have inspired the onset of the Age of Exploration, during which people searched for new trade routes around the world.
Furthermore, uh, the loss of so many people created huge tracts of empty farmland, which, in turn, the surviving peasants could purchase cheaply. There were additionally great changes in medicine and scientific research. When prayers and other spiritual methods failed to stop the plague, men of learning searched for new ways. While they failed to find a cure for the plague, their inquiries into the world of knowledge resulted in countless new discoveries in the centuries after the Black Death ended.
While the plague caused many people to question both God and religion, it also led to the reform of the Church. People began questioning the Church and its practices and started thinking in more secular terms. This helped bring about the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation, both of which had tremendous impacts on society.