考研英语历年真题阅读要点之2015-Text 1（二）

 　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。

　　Even so, kings and queens undoubtedly have a downside. Symbolic of national unity as they claim to be, ... embodies outdated and indefensible privileges and inequalities... are warning of rising inequality and the increasing power of inherited wealth, it is bizarre that wealthy aristocratic families should still be the symbolic heart of modern democratic states.

　　undoubtedly“毫无疑问地”;downside“下降趋势”;be symbolic of“是...的象征”;claim“声称”;outdated“过时的”;indefensible“站不住脚的”;privilege“特权”;inequality“不平等”;warn of“警告”;rising可以理解为“程度上升的”;inherited“继承的”;bizarre“奇怪的”;aristocratic“贵族的”;democratic“民主的”。

　　... strive to abandon or hide their old aristocratic ways. Princes and princesses have day-jobs .. and media intrusiveness makes it increasingly difficult to maintain the right image.

　　strive to do“努力做某事”;abandon“放弃”;hide“隐藏”;day-job“全日性工作”;intrusiveness“干涉，侵扰”;it充当形式主语，真正的主语是to maintain the right image。

　　While Europe’s monarchies will no doubt be smart enough to survive for some time to come, it is the British royals who have most to fear from the Spanish example.

　　while“尽管”，引导让步状语从句;smart“聪明的，敏捷的”;some time to come“接下来的一段时间”;fear“担心，害怕”。

　　It is only the Queen who has preserved the monarchy’s reputation with her rather ordinary (if well-heeled) granny style. The danger will come with Charles, who has both an expensive taste of lifestyle and a pretty hierarchical view of the world. He has failed to understand that monarchies have largely survived because they provide a service -- as non-controversial and non-political heads of state... it is kings ... who are the monarchy’s worst enemies.

　　it is... who...为强调句型;preserve“保持，维持”;reputation“声望”;well-heeled“穿着考究的”;danger“危险”，be in danger“处于危险中”，danger的形容词形式dangerous;taste“品味”，have a taste of也可以表示“品尝，经历”;have a ... view of the world“有...的世界观”;hierarchical“等级体系的”;fail to do“没能做某事”;largely“主要地，在很大程度上”;head of state“国家元首”;worst enemy“最可怕的敌人”。