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  3. Many generations ago, the Iroquois people lived in a state of perpetual war

Many generations ago, the Iroquois people lived in a state of perpetual war

游客2023-10-22  24
问题     Many generations ago, the Iroquois people lived in a state of perpetual war throughout their homelands in what is now New York State. Even though the Iroquois were the closest of relatives, they were merciless in their battles against each other. The people lived in a state of fear so overwhelming that they refused to leave their fenced villages without a heavy guard. Hastily planted crops were often left to decay in the tilling fields because of frequent raids, while ambushes in the nearby forests prevented the men from hunting, resulting in widespread starvation. Many Iroquois abandoned their homes, with some seeking refuge north of Lake Ontario. In one of these bands of refugees, a very special child was born. The Iroquois came to know him as Skennenrahowi, which means "Peacemaker" in the Mohawk language.
    When Skennenrahowi grew to be a young man who stuttered, he informed his family that he was to undertake the great mission given to him by the Creator: to carry the Great Law of Peace to all Iroquois people. He was to return to Iroquois territory with a message of hope that would end warfare among the People of the Longhouse: the five Iroquois bands of Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas. He departed from the Bay of Quinte in a canoe he had built, crossing broad Lake Ontario like a great bolt of lightning. Once he reached the eastern shore of the lake, he encountered two hunters and told them that a new day would arrive when warfare among the Iroquois would end.
    He began his travels, soon entering Seneca territory, where he encountered a powerful female leader named Jikonsahseh. Through reason and his good mind, he persuaded her to embrace the Great Law of Peace. In return for her conversion, Skennenrahowi established the role of clan mother, which gave Iroquois women political and social power without parallel in the world.
    Skennenrahowi made his way east where he met Aiionwatha (Hiawatha), a leader of the Onondaga Nation. Aiionwatha, a great orator, was also convinced to accept the Great Law by becoming Skennenrahowi’s principal disciple. Others were alarmed by the new way, including another Onondaga leader, Tadodaho, a severely deformed man who was known for his treachery. Tadodaho decided to break the spirit of Aiionwatha by having the peace advocate’s seven daughters killed. It is said Aiionwatha’s grief over their death was so great that it caused the animals to flee before him.
    After wandering mindlessly for days, Aiionwatha came to a small lake. Aiionwatha picked up snail shells that he made into a string, declaring that he would only heal when someone took the string and spoke the words of condolence that he needed to hear. Those words were stuttered by Skennenrahowi, the Peacemaker. With the shells he collected, Aiionwatha developed wampum, a sacred memory device subsequently used to record Iroquois history, which includes their Great Law of Peace. [br] Before the birth of Skennenrahowi, the Iroquois people could best be described as _______.
选项 A、formidable
B、valiant
C、idle
D、deprived
答案 D
解析 第1段第4句中的decay，starvation等词都表明当时the Iroquois people生活很贫困，因此本题应选D。A(可怕的)可以形容喜欢战争的那部分易洛魁人，如果用于形容所有的易洛魁人，就过于片面了；文中只描述了易洛魁人的战争是“残酷的”，这与B(英勇的)是两回事；C项在文中未提及。
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