考研英语历年真题阅读要点之2003-Text 4（一）

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　　阅读是一个相对综合的题型，涉及到多方面能力的考查。与其在浩如烟海的复习资料中迷失方向，不知所措，不如直接从真题入手。文都教育考研英语老师继续为大家梳理考研英语历年真题阅读文章中涉及的要点，包括词汇、短语、长难句以及简单的阅读方法。接下来看一下2003年考研英语真题阅读Text 4，这篇文章主要探讨了对死亡的态度。
　　It is said that in England death is pressing, in Canada inevitable and in California optional. Small wonder. Americans’ life expectancy has nearly doubled over the past century. Failing hips can be replaced, clinical depression controlled, cataracts removed in a 30-minute surgical procedure. Such advances offer the aging population a quality of life that was unimaginable when I entered medicine 50 years ago. But not even a great health-care system can cure death -- and our failure to confront that reality now threatens this greatness of ours.
　　it is said that...“据说”；pressing“紧迫的，迫切的”；inevitable“不可避免的”；optional“可以选择的”。这句话存在省略成分，补充完整应该是in England death is pressing, in Canada (death is) inevitable and in California (death is) optional。Small wonder.完整形式应该是It is small wonder.“不足为奇”。life expectancy“平均寿命”。Failing hips can be replaced, clinical depression controlled, cataracts removed in a 30-minute surgical procedure.也存在省略成分，补充完整应该是Failing hips can be replaced, clinical depression (can be) controlled, cataracts (can be) removed in a 30-minute surgical procedure. clinical depression“临床抑郁症”；surgical procedure“外科手术”；aging population“老年人口”；unimaginable“不可思议的，难以想象的”；enter medicine“从医”。But not even a great health-care system can cure death这是一个倒装结构，原来的语序应该是But even a great health-care system can not cure death。failure“失败”，failure to do“不能做某事”；confront“面对”；threaten“威胁”，名词形式threat；greatness“伟大性”；ours指的是our health-care system“我们的医疗体系”。
　　Death is normal; we are genetically programmed to disintegrate and perish, even under ideal conditions... Shielded by third-party payers from the cost of our care, we demand everything... The most obvious example is late-stage cancer care. Physicians -- frustrated by ... -- too often offer aggressive treatment far beyond what is scientifically justified.
　　分号前后语义并列，因此段首句说的就是Death is normal“死亡是正常的”。disintegrate“瓦解，解体”；perish“死亡，毁灭”；under ideal conditions“在理想条件下”；shield“包庇”；third-party“第三方的”；demand“要求”；late-stage cancer care“晚期癌症的治疗”；frustrate“挫败”；aggressive treatment“大胆的治疗”；justified可以充当形容词“合乎情理的”。
　　以上就是文都教育考研英语老师为大家梳理的2003年考研英语真题阅读Text 4前两段的要点。考研也许不简单，但是应该没有大家想象得那么困难。“绝知此事要躬行”，各位同学赶紧行动起来吧！阅读难，但是最重要，因此不可以回避，也不要无休止地拖延，否则后患无穷。如果大家能够坚持下来，到时候也许会发现原来不过如此。
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