2. 职称英语
  3. (1) Ralph felt a kind of affectionate reverence for the conch (海螺), even tho

(1) Ralph felt a kind of affectionate reverence for the conch (海螺), even tho

游客2023-10-28  16
问题     (1) Ralph felt a kind of affectionate reverence for the conch (海螺), even though he had fished the thing out of the lagoon himself. He faced the place of assembly and put the conch to his lips. The others were waiting for this and came straight away. The place of assembly filled quickly; Jack, Simon, Maurice, most of the hunters, on Ralph’s right; the rest on the left, under the sun. Piggy came and stood outside the triangle. This indicated that he wished to listen, but would not speak; and Piggy intended it as a gesture of disapproval.
    (2) "The thing is: we need an assembly."
    (3) No one said anything but the faces turned to Ralph were intent. He flourished the conch. He had learnt as a practical business that fundamental statements like this had to be said at least twice, before everyone understood them. One had to sit, attracting all eyes to the conch, and drop words like heavy round stones among the little groups that crouched or squatted. He was searching his mind for simple words so that even the littluns would understand what the assembly was about.
    (4) "We need an assembly. Not for fun. But to put things straight. "
    (5) He paused for a moment and automatically pushed back his hair. Piggy tiptoed to the triangle, his ineffectual protest made, and joined the others. Ralph went on.
    (6) "We have lots of assemblies. Everybody enjoys speaking and being together. We decide things. But they don’t get done. We were going to have water brought from the stream and left in those coconut shells under fresh leaves. So it was, for a few days. Now there’s no water. The shells are dry. People drink from the river."
    (7) There was a murmur of assent. He licked his lips.
    (8) "Then there’s huts. Shelters."
    (9) The murmur swelled again and died away.
    (10) "You mostly sleep in shelters. Tonight, except for Samneric up by the fire, you’ll all sleep there. Who built the shelters?"
    (11) Clamor rose at once. Everyone had built the shelters. Ralph had to wave the conch once more.
    (12) "Wait a minute! I mean, who built all three? We all built the first one, four of us the second one, and me’n Simon built the last one over there. That’s why it’s so tottery (摇摇欲坠的). No. Don’t laugh. That shelter might fall down if the rain comes back. We’ll need those shelters then."
    (13) Piggy held out his hands for the conch but Ralph shook his head. His speech was planned, point by point. He paused, feeling for his next point. "And another thing."
    (14) Someone called out. "Too many things."
    (15) There came a mutter of agreement. Ralph overrode them.
    (16) "And another thing. We nearly set the whole island on fire. And we waste time, rolling rocks, and making little cooking fires. Now I say this and make it a rule, because I’m chief. We won’t have a fire anywhere but on the mountain. Ever."
    (17) There was a row immediately. Boys stood up and shouted and Ralph shouted back.
    (18) "Because if you want a fire to cook fish or crab, you can jolly well go up the mountain. That way we’ll be certain."
    (19) Hands were reaching for the conch in the light of the setting sun. He held on and leapt on the trunk.
    (20) "All this I meant to say. Now I’ve said it. You voted me for chief. Now you do what I say."
    (21) They quieted, slowly, and at last were seated again. Jack stood up, scowling in the gloom, and held out his hands.
    (22) "I haven’t finished yet."
    (23) "But you’ve talked and talked!"
    (24) "I’ve got the conch."
    (25) Jack sat down, grumbling.
    (26) "Then the last thing. This is what people can talk about."
    (27) He waited till the platform was very still.
    (28) "Things are breaking up. I don’t understand why. We began well; we were happy. And then—Then people started getting frightened."
    (29) A murmur, almost a moan, rose and passed away. Ralph went on, abruptly.
    (30) "But that’s littluns’ talk. We’ll get that straight. We’ve got to talk about this fear and decide there’s nothing in it. I’m frightened myself, sometimes; only that’s nonsense! Like bogies. Then, when we’ve decided, we can start again and be careful about things like the fire." A picture of three boys walking along the bright beach flitted through his mind. "And be happy."
    (31) Ceremonially, Ralph laid the conch on the trunk beside him as a sign that the speech was over. What sunlight reached them was level. [br] According to the context, the conch may be a symbol of ______.
选项 A、the call for assembly
B、the right to speak
C、the time recorder
D、the decision-making power
答案 B
解析 文章多处提到题干关键词conch。其中第一段讲到拉尔夫将海螺放在唇边，孩子们就跑来开会，第三段中拉尔夫挥动海螺吸引大家的注意，并说到发言人必须坐着，海螺会把大伙儿的目光吸引过来；而每当大家喧哗的时候，拉尔夫就会挥动海螺。猪崽子和杰克在集会中想要发言时，都想要拿走海螺，而拉尔夫则一直不给，也因此一直掌握着话语权，直到最后说完，才把海螺放下，这证明海螺就是话语权的象征，因此B项为答案。虽然第一段中提到孩子们听到海螺声就跑来集会，但从后文看出海螺是表示有话要说，并且谁掌握了海螺谁就可以发言，因此它不仅仅是集会的号召，故排除A项；集会过程中，没有人提到时间问题，故排除C项；拉尔夫一直拿着海螺发表自己的看法，但海螺和决策权力之间并没有联系，故排除D项。
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