Everyone knows that CET-6 is for students at a high level. It is based on a larger vocabulary (5,500), and faster reading speed (about 1,400 words in 35min). Therefore, the reading passages have a somewhat greater length and level of difficulty. Please first read the passage on the left and try to figure the answers to the multiple-choice questions. And then look at how the correct answers can be found and what problems students may have in reading comprehension.
Question 1 tests the ability to recognize important viewpoints. To reach a sound conclusion, students have to make use of generalization because the author's viewpoint on an ideal biographer cannot be found directly in any of the sentences. They have to read Paragraph 1 as a whole and thoroughly understand it. The leading sentence of Paragraph 1 is: "The biographer has to dance between two shaky positions..." The author's implication is that a good biographer must have enough knowledge of his subject and at the same time keep a distance from him. So the correct answer to Question 1 is A).
Question 2 chiefly tests understanding of the 3rd paragraph. If students can catch the meaning of the beginnings of the first two sentences, they will clearly know that there are at least two types of biographies. The last sentence says: "The biographies of Jesus... are in this class." It is thus obvious that the author talks about biographies belonging to different categories. So the correct answer is D).
Question 3 tests the ability to make sound judgments. Since this is also a general question, what is of primary importance is the understanding of the whole passage. The first three paragraphs explain why it is difficult for biographers to write biographies acceptable to the public. Finally the last paragraph comes to the conclusion. The correct answer to the question is C).
Question 4 is a local question. It tests the understanding of specific sentences. The question relates to unauthorized biographies which can be found only in sentences 3 and 4 of the last paragraph. Once students understand those two sentences correctly they can get the exact answer to the question, ie B).
Question 5 is a global question. It requires an ability to make generalizations based on a complete understanding of the whole passage. All words and phrases with a negative sense no doubt disclose the author's intention. "The biographer has to dance between..." shows the awkward situation the biographer is in. "There is no ideal position" and "...no one is in a position to tell..." give further evidence of a biographer's difficulty. Therefore the correct answer to the question is A).
To sum up, vocabulary is the foundation of reading comprehension. By vocabulary we don't mean only a certain amount is required, but a dimensional (or all-round) mastery of words. Dictionary word entries learned by heart don't help much. Words have to be learned through reading. And, finally, I'd like to thank you all for your time and interest in this column. Good luck in the coming test.
Coming up: How to prepare for CET speaking test.
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By Zhang Yanqiu, professor from the English Department of PekingUniversity
THIS passage is from the CET-6 test of June, 1997.
The biographer has to dance between two shaky positions with respect to the subject (研究对象). Too close a relation, and the writer may lose objectivity. Not close enough, and the writer may lack the sympathy necessary to any effort to portray a mind, a soul — the quality of life. Who should write the biography of a family, for example? Because of their closeness to the subject, family members may have special information, but by the same token, they may not have the distance that would allow them to be fair. Similarly, a king's servant might not be the best one to write a biography of that king. But a foreigner might not have the knowledge and sympathy necessary to write the king's biography — not for a readership from within the kingdom, at any rate.
There is no ideal position for such a task. The biographer has to work with the position he or she has in the world, adjusting that position as necessary to deal with the subject. Every position has strengths and weaknesses: to thrive, a writer must try to become aware of these, evaluate them in terms of the subject, and select a position accordingly.
When their subjects are heroes or famous figures, biographies often reveal a democratic motive: they attempt to show that their subjects are only human, no better than anyone else. Other biographies are meant to change us. To invite us to become better than we are. The biographies of Jesus (耶稣) found in the Bible are in this class.
Biographers may claim that their account is the "authentic" one. In advancing this claim, they are helped if the biography is "authorized" by the subject; this presumably allows the biographer special access to private information. "Unauthorized" biographies also have their appeal, however, since they can suggest an independence of mind in the biographer. In book promotions, the "unauthorized" characterization usually suggests the prospect of juicy gossip that the subject had hoped to suppress. A subject might have several biographies, even several "authentic" ones. We sense intuitively that no one is in a position to tell "the" story of a life, perhaps not even the subject, and this has been proved by the history of biography. |
1. |
According to the author, an ideal biographer would be one who ________ .
A) knows the subject very well and yet maintains a proper distance from him
B) is close to the subject and knows the techniques of biography writing
C) is independent and treats the subject with fairness and objectivity
D) possesses special private information and is sympathetic toward the subject |
2. |
The author cites the biographies of Jesus in the Bible in
order to show that ________ .
A) the best biographies are meant to transform their readers
B) biographies are authentic accounts of their subjects' lives
C) the best biographies are those of heroes and famous figures
D) biographies can serve different purposes |
3. |
Which of the following statements is true, according to the passage?
A) An authentic biography seldom appeals to its readers.
B) An authentic biography is one authorized by the subject.
C) No one can write a perfect biography.
D) Authorized biographies have a wider readership. |
4. |
An unauthorized biography is likely to attract more readers because ________ .
A) it portrays the subject both faithfully and vividly
B) it contains interesting information about the subject's private life
C) it reveals a lot of accurate details unknown to outsiders
D) it usually gives a sympathetic description of the subject's character |
5. |
In this passage, the author focuses on ________ .
A) the difficulty of a biographer in finding the proper perspective to do his job
B) the secret of a biographer to win more readers
C) the techniques required of a biographer to write a good biography
D) the characteristics of different kinds of biographies |
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