考研英语历年真题阅读要点之2015-Text 1（一）

 　各位同学，就考研英语真题而言，最后三套建议用来进行考前模拟。小编为大家梳理历年考研英语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2015年考研英语真题阅读Text 1，这篇文章主要探讨了欧洲王室的现状和未来。

　　King Juan Carlos of Spain once insisted “kings don’t abdicate, they die in their sleep.” But embarrassing scandals and the popularity of the republican left in the recent Euro-elections have forced him to eat his words and stand down. So, does the Spanish crisis suggest that monarchy is seeing its last days? Does that mean the writing is on the wall for all European royals, with their magnificent uniforms and majestic lifestyle?

　　insist“坚持认为”;abdicate“退位，放弃”;embarrassing“令人尴尬的”;scandal“丑闻”;popularity“受欢迎”;republican“共和主义者”;eclection“选举”;force sb. to do sth.“迫使某人做某事”;eat one’s words“食言”;stand down“退职”;crisis“危机”;suggest“暗示”;monarchy“君主政体”;see one’s last days可以理解为“走到尽头”;the writing is on the wall“某事将失败(不复存在)的不祥预兆”;royal“王室”;magnificent“华丽的”;uniform“制服”;majestic“庄严的”;lifestyle“生活方式”。

　　The Spanish case provides arguments both for and against monarchy. When public opinion is particularly polarized, as it was following the end of the Franco regime, monarchs can rise above “mere” politics and “embody” a spirit of national unity.

　　case“案例”;provide“提供”;argument“争论”;particularly“特别，尤其”;polarize“两极分化”;regime“政权，政体”;monarch“君主”;rise above“克服，不受...的影响”;embody“体现，使具体化”;national unity“国家统一”。

　　It is this apparent transcendence of politics that explains monarchs’ continuing popularity polarized... Europe is the most monarch-infested region in the world, ... But unlike their absolutist counterparts in the Gulf and Asia, most royal families have survived because they allow voters to avoid the difficult search for a non-controversial but respected public figure.

　　it is...that...为强调句型;apparent“明显的”;transcendence“超然存在”;continuing“持续的”;monarch-infested可以理解为“君主遍布的”;unlike“和...不同”;absolutist“专制主义者”;counterpart“对应的人或物”;survive“幸存”;voter“选民”;avoid“避免”;search“搜寻”;non-controversial“没有争议的”;respected“受尊敬的”;public figure“公众人物”。