专题限时检测(二十二)阅读理解词义猜测类之短语猜测题或句意理解题(加★的为短语猜测题或句意理解题，本卷限时23分钟)A(2017·南京市、盐城市高三模拟考试)You'veprobablyheardsuchreports.Thenumberofcollegestudentsmajoringinthehumanities(人文学科)isdecreasingquickly.Thenewshascausedafloodofhigh-mindedessayscriticizingthedevelopmentasasymbolofAmericandecline.Thebrightsideisthis:Thedestructionofthehumanitiesbythehumanitiesis,finally,comingtoanend.Nomorewillliterature,aspartofanacademiccurriculum,putoutthelightofliterature.Nolongerwillthereadingof,say,“KingLear”orD．H.Lawrence's“WomeninLove”resultintheannoyingstuffofmultiple-choicequizzes,examessaysandhomeworkassignments.ThediscouragingfactisthatforeverycollegeprofessorwhomadeShakespeareorLawrencecomealivefortheluckyfew,therewerecountlessotherswhomadethereadingofliterarymasterpiecesseemliketwo_hours_in_the_dentist's_chair.Theremarkablyinsignificantfactthat,ahalf-centuryago,14%oftheundergraduatepopulationmajoredinthehumanities(mostlyinliterature,butalsoinart,philosophy,history,classicsandreligion)asopposedto7%todayhasgivenrisetoseriousreflectionsonthenatureandpurposeofaneducationintheliberalarts.Suchreflectionsalwayscometothesameconclusion:Wearetoldthatthelackofaformaleducation,mostlyinliterature,leadstonumerousharmfulpersonalconditions,suchastheinabilitytothinkcritically,towriteclearly,tobecuriousaboutotherpeopleandplaces,toengagewithgreatliteratureaftergraduation,torecognizetruth,beautyandgoodness.Theseseriousanxietiesaregrand,admirablyvirtuousandvirtuouslyadmirable.Theyarealsoamerefantasy.Thecollegeteachingofliteratureisarelativelyrecentphenomenon.Literaturedidnotevenbecomepartoftheuniversitycurriculumuntiltheendofthe19thcentury.Beforethat,whatcametobecalledthehumanitiesconsistedoflearningGreekandLatin,whiletheBiblewasstudiedinchurchasthenecessaryotherhalfofafulleducation.Nooneeverthoughtofteachingnovels,stories,poemsorplaysinaformalcourseofstudy.Theywerepartoftheleisureofeverydaylife.ItwasonlyafterWorldWarⅡthatthestudyofliteratureasatypeofwisdom,relevanttoactual,contemporarylife,putdownwidespreadinstitutionalroots.Soldiersreturninghomein1945longedtomakesenseoftheirlivesafterwhattheyhadwitnessedandsurvived.Theabundanteconomyaffordedthemtheopportunityandthetimetodoso.MajoringinEnglishhititspeak,yetitwasthisverypopularityofliteratureintheuniversitythatspelleditsdoom,astheacademicizationofliteraryartwasaccelerated.LiteraturechangedmylifelongbeforeIbegantostudyitincollege.Bookstookmefarfrommyselfintoexperiencesthathadnothingtodowithmylife,yetspoketomylife.Butonceinthecollegeclassroom,thisprecious,alternatelifeinsidemegotthrownbackintothatdimensionofmyexistencethatboredme.Homer,ChekhovandYeatswerereducedtorightandwronganswers,clear-cutthemesandcleverinterpretations.Ifthereisanythingtoworryabout,itshouldbethedisappearanceofwhatusedtobeanimportantpartofeveryhigh-schooleducation:theliteraturesurveycourse,wherebookswerenotacademicallytaughtbutthoroughlyintroduced—anexperienceunaffectedbystupidcommentaryanduselesstesting.Theliteraryclassicsareplacesofquiet,uselessstillnessinaworldthatdespises(鄙视)anyactivitythatisnotprofitableorproductive.Literatureistoosacredtobetaught.Itneedsonlytoberead.Soon,ifallgoeswellandliteratureatlastdisappearsfromtheundergraduatecurriculum—myfingersarecrossed—increasingnumbersofpeoplewillbeabletosaythatread...
