ＧＲＥ全真考试题三

ＧＲＥ全真考试题三

　The common belief of some linguists　that each language is a perfect vehicle　for the thoughts of the nation speaking　it is in some ways the exact counterpart of the conviction of the　Manchester school of economics that　supply and demand will regulate　everything for the best. Just as　economists were blind to the numerous cases in which the law of supply and　demand left actual wants unsatisfied,　so also many linguists are deaf to　those instances　in　which　the　very　nature　of　a　language　calls　forth　misunderstandings　in　everyday　conversation, and in which,　consequently, a word has to be modified　or defined in order to present the idea　intended by the speaker: "He took hi

s stick-no, not John s, but his own. " No　language is perfect, and if we admit　this truth, we must also admit that it　is not unreasonable to investigate the　relative merits of different languages or of different details in languages.The primary purpose of the passage is to　analyze an interesting feature of the　English language　refute a belief held by some linguists　show that economic theory is relevant　to linguistic study　illustrate the confusion that can result　from the improper use of language　suggest a way in which languages can be　made more nearly perfect

　　答案：(B)

　　某些语言学家的一种普遍信念是，每种语言都是一个载体，可用来完美地表达操该种语言的民族的.思想。在某种程度上，这一语言学思想与曼彻斯特经济学派所坚信的观点如出一辙，构成了一种绝然的对等理论。该经济学派认为，供求关系制约着一切并使一切趋势于最佳状态。正如这些经济家对供求规律所造成的使实际需求不得满足的诸般实例视而不见那样，同样地，许多语言学家对下述情形也可谓是充耳不闻。在此类情形中，语言的性质本身就有可能导致日常交谈中的种种误解，因此在这种情况下，一个词语必须经过修饰或界定之后，才有可能表达说话者所意欲表述的那层涵义：“他拿了他的拐杖——不，不是约翰的，而是他自己的。”没有任何语言是尽善尽美的，假如我们承认这一真理，我们同样也必须承认，对不同语言的相对优劣，或对不同语言中的不同细节进行分析，这并非不合情理。

　　The misunderstanding presented by the　author in lines 19-20 is similar to　which of the following?

　　I.X uses the word "you" to refer to　a group, but Y thinks that X is　referring to one person only.

　　II. X mistakenly uses the word　"anomaly" to refer to a typical　example, but Y　knows that　"anomaly" means "exception."