两面派 two-faced
我知道怎样对付两面派，而且一眼就能看出谁是一贯两面讨好的人。I know how to handle two-faced people and can even tell at the first glance who are in the habit of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.(注：run with the hare and hunt with the hounds 指人两面讨好，不得罪任何一方的做法。)
受气包 doormat
她天生就是个受气包，什么事都不敢说个不字。She’s born doormat ,afraid of going against anything.
扫帚星 a jinx
有人说那个女人是个扫帚星，谁跟她结婚谁倒霉。 She’s said to be a jinx, who would bring bad luck to whoever she marries.
略胜一筹 be a notch above
论油画，张先生比刘先生画得好。但是，谈到水彩画，刘先生可就比张先生略胜一筹了。In oil painting, Mr.Zhang paints better than Mr.Li.But when it comes to water colors,Mr.Liu appears to be a notch above Mr.Zhang.
有头脑 be a brain
他可是个有头脑的人，决不会相信你的.那一套。He’s a brain, who wouldn’t be fooled into believing your babbling.
很能干 to have a lot on the ball
我知道李明很能干，但我怀疑他是否真的愿意到我们这儿来工作。I know Li Ming has a lot on the ball. But I’m not sure if he likes to work here.
有名无实 a poor apology
你刚才提到的那个作家不过是个有名无实的人。他的作品太没意思了。The man you’ve just mentioned is but a poor apology for a writer. His writings are tedious.
绞尽脑汁 to rack one’s brain
他已经绞尽脑汁了，可是仍未找到问题的答案。He had racked his brain, but hadn’t been able to work out the answer to the problem.
没骨气 have no guts
真没想到小高那么没骨气，竟然嫁给了坑害过她父亲的人。I’m surprised to learn that XiaoGao had married the man who had once done her father in. She rally has no guts.
真了不起 really something
他真了不起，竟然一个人对付了那么多的对手。He overwhelmed so many of his opponents alone. He’s really something.
昙花一现 a flash in the pan
那个歌星也只是昙花一现，出了几张唱片就销声匿迹了。That singer was only a flash in the pan. He disappeared into the air after having made one or two records.
寡不敌众 be outnumbered
她很勇敢，但终因寡不敌众，被那帮人打晕过去The girl was brave enough, but as being outnumbered, she was finally knocked into the middle of next week by the gang.
单枪匹马 play a lone hand
在投资时，他总喜欢单枪匹马的去干When investing in a business, he always likes to play a lone hand.
出师不利 get off one the wrong foot
他的主意不错，可一开始就出师不利。His idea was good, but he got off on the wrong foot when he started doing it.
嘴硬 never say uncle
那个孩子的嘴特别硬，打死他都不肯认错That boy never says uncle. He wouldn’t admit he’s wrong for the life of him.
有门道 have the means of
在挣钱方面，张先生可有门道了。Mr.Zhang has always had the means of making money.
找到窍门get the hang of
我已经找到学习英语动词的窍门了。I’ve now got the hang of learning English verbs.
占上风 gain the upper hand
比赛一开始，我们队占上风。可到最后却失利了At the beginning of the game our team gained the upper hand. But by and by, we lost our strength.
有资格 be in a position
你没有资格对他那样讲话，他是那儿的老板You’re not in a position to talk to him like that; He’s the boss there.
见机行事 play to the score
到那儿，你要见机行事，千万不要由性子来。When you are there with them, play to the score. Never act on impulse.
Pageants Pageants are usually conceived on a fairly large scale, oftenunder the auspices of some local or civic authority or at any ratein connection with local groups of some kind. This sometimesmeans that there is an allocation of funds available for thepurpose of mounting the production, though unfortunately thiswill usually be found to be on the meager side and muchingenuity will have to be used to stretch it so that all performerscan be adequately clothed.
Most pageants have a historical flavour as they usually come about through the celebration of theanniversary of some event of historic importance, or the life or death of some local worthy.Research among archives and books in the public library will probably prove very useful andproduce some workable ideas which will give the production an especially local flavour. From thefirst economy will have to be practiced because there are usually a great number of people todress. Leading characters can be considered individually in the same way as when designing for aplay; but the main body of the performers will need to be planned in groups and the massed effectmust be always borne in mind.
Many pageants take place in daylight in the open air. This is an entirely different problem fromdesigning costumes which are going to be looked at under artificial lighting; for one thing, scenesviewed in the daylight are subject to many more distractions. No longer is everything around cutout by the surrounding darkness, but instead it is very easy to be aware of disturbing movementin the audience of behind the performers. Very theatrically conceived clothes do not always looktheir best when seen in a daylight setting of trees, verdant lawns and old ivy-covered walls; thesame goes for costumes being worn in front of the mellow colors of stately homes. The locationneeds to be studied and then a decision can be made as to what kinds of colors and textures willharmonize best with the surroundings and conditions and then to carry this out as far as possibleon the funds available.
If money is available to dress the performers without recourse to their own help in the provision ofitems, it is best to arrange for all the cutting and pinning together of the costumes to be done byone or two experienced people than to be given out to the groups and individuals for completion.When there is little or no money at all, the garments need to be reduced to the basic necessities.Cloaks and shawls become invaluable, sheets and large bath towels and bath sheets are admirablefor draping. Unwanted curtains and bed spreads can be cut to make tunics, robes and skirts.These are particularly valuable if they are of heavy fabrics such as velvet or chenille.
Colors should be massed together so that there are contrasting groups of dark and light, this willbe found to help the visual result substantially. Crowds of people gathered together in a jumble ofcolors will be ground to look quite purposeless and will lack dramatic impact.
The use of numbers of identical head-dresses, however simply made, are always effective whenworking with groups. If these are made of cardboard and painted boldly the cost can be almostnegligible. Helmets, hats and plumes will all make quite a show even if the costumes are onlyblandest or sheets cleverly draped. The same can be said of the use of banners, shields and poleswith stiff pennants and garlands—anything which will help to have a unifying effect. Any kind ofeye-catching device will always go with a flourish and add excitement to the scenes.
1. The main idea of this passage is
[A] Pageants. [B] Costumes on the stage.
[C] Costumes for pageants. [D] How to arrange a pageant.
2. It can be inferred that the most important factor in costume design is
[A] money [B] color [C] harmony [D] texture
3. Why will much ingenuity have to be required in costume design?
[A] Because pageants take place in daylight in the open air.
[B] Because different characters require different costumes.
[C] Because the colors and textures must be in harmony with the setting.
[D] Because an allocation of the funds available is usually rather small.
4. Why do most pageants have a historical flavour?
[A] Because most pageants take place for celebration.
[B] Many pageants take place for amusement.
[C] A lot of pageants take place for religion.
[D] Because pageants usually take place for competition.
答案详解：1. C. 露天演出的服装。第一段末尾已经点明，“一般认为露天演出规模宏大，常常是由某个地方或当局（民政局主办赞助），或总是和某个地方集团有关。这意味着有用于演出目的资金配额，遗憾的是配额一般很少，必须动用非常的才能，细细的使用资金，所有演员才能窗上恰当的服装。”其他各段各有重点，但都是服务于剧装这一中心。
A. 露天演出。 B. 舞台剧装（包括剧场）。 D. 如何安排露天演出；涉及面或大或小，不适合。
2. C. 和谐。服装设计中最重要的因素是和谐。这一点在几段中都提到，第二段最后一句“演员的主题必须以群体设计，头脑中必须经常记住群体效果。”第三段最后一句“必须研究演出的地理位置，决出什么样的颜色和织物，能和环境，条件，达到最完美和谐。”第五段专讲颜色搭配，“应当从总体考虑颜色，这样才有亮和暗的群体对比，帮助产生实感的视觉效果，一群穿着杂七杂八颜色服装的演员聚集在一起看起来乱哄哄。缺乏戏剧效果。”这也是和谐之要求。
A. 钱。钱要考虑。出前两段外，第三段最后一句，讲完和谐后，也提到“尽可能以能到手的`资金加以实现这决定。”第四段中“在钱很少或是没有钱的情况下，服装得降到基本需要”，下面就讲利用被单，浴巾，窗帘做服装，所以钱在服装设计中很重要，但不能列为最重要因素，有钱没有钱都得以服装协调为主。 B. 颜色。
D. 织品。同样都的服从和谐这一前提。
3. D. 因为能得到资金的配额都很少。第一段最后一句话，见第一题译注。
A. 因为在光天化日下演出。 B. 因为不同演员要求不同服装。 C. 颜色和织物必须和布景谐调。这些只是考虑的因素。见上面译文。
4. A. 因为大多数露天演出都是为纪念庆祝。第二段第一句“露天演出一般都是某个具有历史意义事件，或者当地某个值得纪念的人物的诞辰和逝世周年，所以大多数露天演出都具有历史纪念色彩。”
B. 许多露天演出是为了娱乐。 C. 许多露天演出是为了宗教。 D. 因为露天演出一般是参与竞赛。三项都不对。
Equality of Opportunity
These days we hear a lot of nonsense about the ‘great classless society’. The idea that the twentieth century is the age of the common man has become one of the great clichés of our time. The same old arguments are put forward in evidence. Here are some of them: monarchy as a system of government has been completely discredited. The monarchies that survive have been deprived of all political power. Inherited wealth has been savagely reduced by taxation and, in time, the great fortunes will disappear altogether. In a number of countries the victory has been complete. The people rule; the great millennium has become a political reality. But has it? Close examination doesn’t bear out the claim.
It is a fallacy to suppose that all men are equal and that society will be leveled out if you provide everybody with the same educational opportunities. (It is debatable whether you can ever provide everyone with the same educational opportunities, but that is another question.) The fact is that nature dispenses brains and ability with a total disregard for the principle of equality. The old rules of the jungle, ‘survival of the fittest’, and ‘might is right’ are still with us. The spread of education has destroyed the old class system and created a new one. Rewards are based on merit. For ‘aristocracy’ read ‘meritocracy’; in other respects, society remains unaltered: the class system is rigidly maintained.
Genuine ability, animal cunning, skill, the knack of seizing opportunities, all bring material rewards. And what is the first thing people do when they become rich? They use their wealth to secure the best possible opportunities for their children, to give them ‘a good start in life’. For all the lip service we pay to the idea of equality, we do not consider this wrong in the western world. Private schools which offer unfair advantages over state schools are not banned because one of the principles in a democracy is that people should be free to choose how they will educate their children. In this way, the new meritocracy can perpetuate itself to a certain extent: an able child from a wealthy home can succeed far more rapidly than his poorer counterpart. Wealth is also used indiscriminately to further political ends. It would be almost impossible to become the leader of a democracy without massive financial backing. Money is as powerful a weapon as ever it was.
In societies wholly dedicated to the principle of social equality, privileged private education is forbidden. But even here people are rewarded according to their abilities. In fact, so great is the need for skilled workers that the least able may be neglected. Bright children are carefully and expensively trained to become future rulers. In the end, all political ideologies boil down to the same thing: class divisions persist whether you are ruled by a feudal king or an educated peasant.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
[A] Equality of opportunity in the twentieth century has not destroyed the class system.
[B] Equality means money.
[C] There is no such society as classless society.
[D] Nature can’t give you a classless society.
2. According to the author, the same educational opportunities can’t get rid of inequality because
[A] the principle ‘survival of the fittest’ exists.
[B] Nature ignores equality in dispensing brains and ability.
[C] Material rewards are for genuine ability.
[D] People have the freedom how to educate their children.
3. Who can obtain more rapid success
[A] those with wealth.
[B] Those with the best brains.
[C] Those with the best opportunities.
[D] Those who have the ability to catch at opportunities.
4. Why does the author say the new meritocracy can perpetuate itself to a certain extent? Because
[A] money decides everything.
[B] Private schools offer advantages over state schools.
[C] People are free to choose the way of educating their children.
[D] Wealth is used for political ends.
5. According to the author, ‘class divisions’ refers to
[A] the rich and the poor.
[B] Different opportunities for people.
[C] Oppressor and the oppressed.
[D] Genius and stupidity.
答案详解：
1. A 二十世纪平等的机遇并没有摧毁阶级。文章一开始就对无阶级社会的论点进行了反驳：有人认为君主整体已完全摧毁，幸存下来的王公贵族已经被剥夺了一切政治权力，继承的财产为税收大幅度的削减，到时候，巨大的财富将消失殆尽，在许多国家中，已全面胜利，人民进行统治，伟大的太平盛世已成为政治显示。作者认为：深入检查证实这一断言不实。第二段提出了即使人人都获同样的受教育的机会，可人的天然智慧和能力与平等原则无关，适者生存，强权即公理依然存在。教育的普及摧毁了老的阶级体制，却创造新的，报酬是机遇才干成就。贵族统治就是英才统治，可在其他方面，社会依然，阶级确实存在。后面两段集中论述了金钱的作用。
B.金钱意味着平等是错误的。C.不存在无阶级社会。内容是对的，但不是本文的主题思想。D.自然界不会赋予你一个无阶级社会。
2. B 自然界在分赋人智慧和能力是不会顾及平等。
A.适者生存的原则存在。根据这一原则无智慧和能力者难以生存于社会。C.物质报偿是根据人的真正能力。D.人们有自由选择如何教育自己的孩子。这三项都基于一点――人的智慧和能力。有智慧能力才能生存，才能获报偿，这已经是不平等，即使获同样的受教育的机会，也不可能铲除不平等。
3. A 有钱的人。第三段一开始就点明：真正的能力、动物般机敏狡猾、技能、善抓机会的`诀窍，这一切都带来物质报偿。有了钱的人首要作的事情就是给孩子最佳教育机会，而私人学校教育优于公立学校，人们又有自由选择如何教育自己的孩子。在这个意义上，英才教育在某种程度上是永存的。一个来自富有家庭的有能力的孩子要比其对立面获得成功要快得多得多。
B.具有很高智慧的人，若没有钱是难以成功的。第三段的最后一句话也点明这一点，金钱同从前一样是强有力的武器。文章最后一段即使在完全遵循社会平等原则的社会里，禁止特权的私人教育，人们也是按能力获报酬。小心翼翼而又耗费巨大地把聪明的孩子培养成未来的统治者。C.具有最佳机遇的人。D.是B和C的结合。
4. A金钱决定一切。新的英才教育在一定程度上永存。没有钱，上不起私立学校，谈不上机会，更不用说英才教育。有了钱才能为孩子创造机会。
B.私立学校提供的优越性高于公立学校。C.人们有自由选择教育孩子的方式方法。D.财富用于政治目的。第三段最后三句话：“财富也可以不加区别地用于更远的政治目的。没有强大的财政作后盾，成为民主国家的元首几乎是不可能。金钱和过去一样是强有力的武器，这也说明了金钱的力量，决定一切。”
5. A 富人和穷人。纵然作者提及，同样的教育机会也不可能铲除不平等，因为上天赋予人之智慧是不可能考虑平等原则，可是作者也提到适者生存、强权即公理。贵族政治可读成英才教育。这已说明英才指的是贵族的英才。第四段进一步指出有钱的人首先要做的就是给子女一个良好的教育机会。而私立学校的教育质量优于公立学校。有钱人家的有能力的孩子成功机遇就高。财产还可用于政治目的，要成为民主国家的领袖就得有雄厚的财力支持。钱财和过去一样强有力。即使在以社会平等为原则的社会中，私立学校被禁，酬劳还是以人的能力为准，大量需要有技能的工作人员，而差劲的人没有人关注。天才的孩子予以仔细而又及其昂贵的培养以成为未来的统治者。
总之，政治意识归结为同一个东西――阶级划分存在，不论你是为封建帝王统治，还是为受过教育的农民统治，从这里看，作者的class division指的是A项。
B.人们不同的机遇。C.压迫者和被压迫者。D.天才和笨蛋。
