These men were merciless with one another.They __4__ the minutest literary expression into a hundred pieces.They were heartless，tough，even mean in their __5__.The sessions became such areas of literary criticism that the __6__ of this special club called themselves the “Stranglers (扼殺者)”. In order to __7__，the women of literary talent in the university __8__ to start a club of their own，one comparable to the Stranglers.They __9__ themselves the “Wranglers (爭論者)”.They，too，read their __10__ one another.But there was one great difference.The criticism was much softer，more __11__，more encouraging.Sometimes，there was almost no criticism at all.Every effort，even the weakest one，was __12__.

　　Twenty years later an alumnus of the university was making an exhaustive __13__ of his classmates' careers when he __14__ a vast difference in the literary accomplishments of the Stranglers as opposed to the Wranglers.Of all the __15__ young men in the Stranglers，no one had made a significant literary __16__ of any kind.From the Wranglers had come six or more successful __17__，some of national renown such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings，who wrote The Yearling.

　　Talent between the two?Probably the same.Level of __18__?Not much difference.But the Stranglers were strangled，while the Wranglers were determined to give each other a(an) __19__.The Stranglers __20__ an atmosphere of argument and self­doubt.The Wranglers highlighted the best，not the worst.

　　【語篇解讀】 本文是一篇夾敘夾議類的文章。一所大學里有兩個文學小組，他們對待他人的作品的方式不同，一個小組主要采用批評的方式，而另一個小組采取的卻是鼓勵的方式，后來，兩個小組的組員所取得的文學成就完全不同。

　　1.A.architectural B.artisticC.literary D.musical

　　答案　C　[考查語境邏輯。從后面的“They were would­be poets，novelists，and essayists.”可知他們即將成為詩人、小說家等，由此可知他們擁有了不起的文學天賦。architectural“建筑的”;artistic“藝術的”;musical“音樂的”。]

　　2.A.strength B.ability C.performance D.power

　　答案　B　[考查語境中名詞的辨析。從前面的“talent”可知他們很有文學天賦，所以此處是指他們在語言方面有著非凡的能力。strength“力量，力氣”;performance“表演”;power“權力，力量”。]

　　3.A.gathered B.organized C.challenged D.collected

　　答案　A　[考查語境邏輯。結合后面的“to read and critique(評論)each other's work”可知他們聚集在一起來閱讀和評論彼此的作品。]

　　4.A.turned B.translated C.combined D.divided

　　答案　D　[考查固定搭配。結合后面的“the minutest literary expression into a hundred pieces”可知他們把最微小的文學表達都分解成很多份，來批評他人的作品。turn...into“把……變成”;translate...into“把……翻譯成”;combine不與into連用。 ]

　　5.A.appreciation B.criticism C.assessment D.judgment

　　答案　B　[考查語境邏輯。根據前面的“critique(評論)each other's work”可知此處表示他們在評論的時候一點也不留情面。appreciation“欣賞”;assessment“估計，評估”;judgment“判斷”。]

　　6.A.leaders B.organizers C.members D.arrangers

　　答案　C　[考查語境邏輯。從后面的“of this special club called themselves...”可知此處是指這個俱樂部的成員。leader“領導者”;organizer“組織者”;arranger“組織者，經辦者”。]

　　7.A.participate B.practice C.succeed D.compete

　　答案　D　[考查上下文暗示。結合后面的“the women of literary talent in the university __8__to start a club of their own，one comparable to the Stranglers”可知這個大學的具有文學天賦的女同學們決定組建一個她們自己的俱樂部來和那些男同學們競爭。participate“參加”;practice“練習”;succeed“成功”。] 8.A.determined B.agreed C.promised D.dreamed

　　答案　A　[考查語境邏輯。此處指這些女同學們下決心來開辦自己的俱樂部。agree“同意”;promise“允諾”;dream“夢想”。]

　　9.A.regarded B.called C.thought D.recognized

　　答案　B　[考查上下文暗示，結合前面的“called themselves the ‘Stranglers(扼殺者)’”可知此處是指這些女同學把自己稱為Wranglers。“regard”認為;“think”思考，認為;“recognize”承認。] 10.A.works B.letters C.books D.papers

　　答案　A　[考查語境邏輯。她們也讀她們彼此的作品。letter“信件”;book“書籍”;paper“論文”。]

　　11.A.fantastic B.critical C.positive D.serious

　　答案　C　[考查上下文暗示。從后面的“more encouraging”可知她們的批評多是積極的，具有鼓勵性的。fantastic“荒誕的”;critical“批評的”;serious“嚴肅的”。]

　　12.A.required B.spared C.made D.encouraged

　　答案　D　[考查語境邏輯。由上文可知，“Wranglers”的特點就是“鼓勵”，故選D。此處表示她們鼓勵每一次嘗試，哪怕是最微弱的嘗試。require“要求”。spare no effort“不遺余力”;make every effort“努力”;B、C兩項均與語境不符。]

　　13.A.experiment B.study C.analysis D.judgment

　　答案　B　[考查語境邏輯。這里表示一個校友對他的同班同學所從事的職業進行了研究。experiment“試驗，實驗”;analysis“分析”;judgment“判斷”。]

　　14.A.reflected B.resolved C.explained D.noticed

　　答案　D　[考查上下文暗示。根據后面的“a vast difference in the literary accomplishments of the Stranglers as opposed to the Wranglers”可知通過研究他發現了Stranglers和Wranglers在文學成就方面的巨大差別。reflect“表明，表達”;resolve“解決”;explain“解釋”。]

　　15.A.optimistic B.confident C.bright D.honest

　　答案　C　[考查上下文邏輯。從第一段中“...a group of brilliant young men...”可知此處是指那些聰明的男同學。optimistic“樂觀的”;confident“自信的”;honest“誠實的”。]

　　16.A.achievement B.influenceC.contribution D.improvement

　　答案　A　[考查上下文暗示。結合前面的“in the literary accomplishments”以及上下文內容可知他們沒有人取得驕人的文學成就。influence“影響”;contribution“貢獻”;improvement“改進，改善”。]

　　17.A.engineers B.writers C.doctors D.lawyers

　　答案　B　[考查語境邏輯。從后面的“some of national renown such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings，who wrote The Yearling”可知她們中有的人成為了著名的作家。engineer“工程師”;doctor“醫生”;lawyer“律師”。]

　　18.A.courage B.patience C.education D.skill

　　答案　C　[考查語境邏輯。此處表示他們的教育水平沒有什么不同。courage“勇氣”;patience“耐心”;skill“技能”。]

　　19.A.reward B.favor C.honor D.lift

　　答案　D　[考查固定搭配。此處指Wranglers互相幫助，互相鼓勵。give sb a lift “幫某人一把”。]

　　20.A.ruined B.lightened C.promoted D.enjoyed

　　答案　C　[考查語境邏輯。這里指Stranglers創造了一種爭辯與自我懷疑的氛圍。ruin“毀滅”;lighten“減輕，使變明亮”;enjoy“享受，喜歡”。]