单选题 Of all the changes that have taken place in English-language newspapers during the past quarter-century, perhaps the most far-reaching has been the inexorable decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage.
It is difficult to the point of impossibility for the average reader under the age of forty to imagine a time when high-quality arts criticism could be found in most big-city newspapers. Yet a considerable number of the most significant collections of criticism published in the 20th century consisted in large part of newspaper reviews. To read such books today is to marvel at the fact that their learned contents were once deemed suitable for publication in general-circulation dailies.
We are even farther removed from the unfocused newspaper reviews published in England between the turn of the 20th century and the eve of World War Ⅱ, at a time when newsprint was dirt-cheap and stylish arts criticism was considered an ornament to the publications in which it appeared. In those far-off days, it was taken for granted that the critics of major papers would write in detail and at length about the events they covered. Theirs was a serious business, and even those reviewers who wore their learning lightly, like George Bernard Shaw and Ernest Newman, could be trusted to know what they were about. These men believed in journalism as a calling, and were proud to be published in the daily press. "So few authors have brains enough or literary gift enough to keep their own end up in journalism, " Newman wrote, "that I am tempted to define 'journalism' as 'a term of contempt applied by writers who are not read to writers who are. '"
Unfortunately, these critics are virtually forgotten. Neville Cardus, who wrote for the Manchester Guardian from 1917 until shortly before his death in 1975, is now known solely as a writer of essays on the game of cricket. During his lifetime, though, he was also one of England's foremost classical-music critics, a stylist so widely admired that his Autobiography (1947) became a best-seller. He was knighted in 1967, the first music critic to be so honored. Yet only one of his books is now in print, and his vast body of writings on music is unknown save to specialists.
Is there any chance that Cardus's criticism will enjoy a revival? The prospect seems remote. Journalistic tastes had changed long before his death, and postmodern readers have little use for the richly upholstered Vicwardian prose in which he specialized. Moreover, the amateur tradition in music criticism has been in headlong retreat.

单选题 It is indicated in Paragraphs 1 and 2 that ______
A. arts criticism has disappeared from big-city newspapers.
B. English-language newspapers used to carry more arts reviews.
C. high-quality newspapers retain a large body of readers.
D. young readers doubt the suitability of criticism on dailies.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】本题为推测题。题目问的是从第一、二段中可以推测出什么。由第一段最后的decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage可推知arts criticism不可能已经disappeared，所以A项错误。由B项中的arts reviews可以定位到第二段第二句Yet a considerable number of the most significant collections of criticism published in the 20th century consisted in large part of newspaper reviews.，主干a considerable number of the most significant collections of criticism consisted in large part of newspaper reviews正好对应B项，所以B项正确。C项在本文前两段未提及；D项中的young readers也未提及。

单选题 Newspaper reviews in England before World War Ⅱ were characterized by ______
A. free themes.
B. casual styles.
C. elaborate layout.
D. radical viewpoints.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】本题为细节题。题目问的是“二战前英国新闻评论的特点是……”，四个选项分别意为“主题自由”，“形式随意”，“版式精巧”，“观点激进”。由题干中的特殊词条World War Ⅱ可以定位到第二段第一句话，…between the turn of the 20th century and the eve o1f World War Ⅱ, at a time when newsprint was dirt-cheap and stylish arts criticism was considered an ornament to the publications in which it appeared.在20世纪之交与二战前夕，新闻用纸非常便宜，漂亮的艺术评论都被视为报纸的装饰，由stylish可推知是视觉效果的东西，所以本题选择C项。

单选题 Which of the following would Shaw and Newman most probably agree on?
A. It is writers' duty to fulfill journalistic goals.
B. It is contemptible for writers to be journalists.
C. Writers are likely to be tempted into journalism.
D. Not all writers are capable of journalistic writing.

单选题 What can be learned about Cardus according to the last two paragraphs?
A. His music criticism may not appeal to readers today.
B. His reputation as a music critic has long been in dispute.
C. His style caters largely to modern specialists.
D. His writings fail to follow the amateur tradition.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】本题为综合理解题。题目问的是“根据最后两段，我们能得出有关Cardus的什么结论”。由倒数第二段的最后一句话Yet only one of his books is now in print，and his vastbody of writings on music is unknown save to specialists.可以推测出答案为A项，由词句也能推出C项错误，原文说的是is unknown save to specialists“除了专家没人知道”并不是符合大部分专家的口味。C项原文未提及；D项根据最后一句话Moreover，the amateur tradition in music criticism has been in headlong retreat.“况且，由业余爱好者作音乐评论的传统早已江河日下，今非昔比了”，意思是说传统变了，而非作品变了，所以可得知此项错误。