托福閱讀真題Official 50 Passage 2（七）

托福閱讀真題Official 50 Passage 2（七）

The Achievement of Brazilian Independence

In contrast to the political anarchy,economic dislocation,and military destruction in Spanish America,Brazil’s drive toward independence from Portugal proceeded as a relatively bloodless transition between 1808 and 1822.The idea of Brazilian independence first arose in the late eighteenth century as a Brazilian reaction to the Portuguese policy of tightening political and economic control over the colony in the interests of the mother country.The first significant conspiracy against Portuguese rule was organized from 1788–1799 in the province of Minas Gerais,where rigid governmental control over the production and prices of gold and diamonds,as well as heavy taxes,caused much discontent.But this conspiracy never went beyond the stage of discussion and was easily discovered and crushed.Other conspiracies in the late eighteenth century as well as a brief revolt in 1817 reflected the influence of republican ideas over sections of the elite and even the lower strata of urban society.All proved abortive or were soon crushed.Were it not for an accident of European history,the independence of Brazil might have been long delayed.

The French invasion of Portugal in 1807 followed by the flight of the Portuguese court(sovereign and government officers)to Rio de Janeiro brought large benefits to Brazil.Indeed,the transfer of the court in effect signified achievement of Brazilian independence.The Portuguese prince and future King Jo?o VI opened Brazil’s ports to the trade of friendly nations,permitted the rise of local industries,and founded the Bank of Brazil.In 1815 he elevated Brazil to the legal status of a kingdom coequal with Portugal.In one sense,however,Brazil’s new status signified the substitution of one dependence for another.Freed from Portuguese control,Brazil came under the economic dominance of England,which obtained major tariff concessions and other privileges by the Strangford Treaty of 1810 between Portugal and Great Britain.The treaty provided for the importation of British manufactures into Brazil and the export of Brazilian agricultural produce to Great Britain.One result was an influx of cheap machine-made goods that swamped the handicrafts industry of the country.

Brazilian elites took satisfaction in Brazil’s new role and the growth of educational,cultural,and economic opportunities for their class.But the feeling was mixed with resentment toward the thousands of Portuguese courtiers(officials)and hangers-on who came with the court and who competed with Brazilians for jobs and favors.Thus,the change in the status of Brazil sharpened the conflict between Portuguese elites born in Brazil and elites born in Portugal and loyal to the Portuguese crown.

The event that precipitated the break with the mother country was the revolution of 1820 in Portugal.The Portuguese revolutionaries framed a liberal constitution for the kingdom,but they were conservative or reactionary in relation to Brazil.They demanded the immediate return of King Jo?o to Lisbon,an end to the system of dual monarchy that he had devised,and the restoration of the Portuguese commercial monopoly.Timid and vacillating,King Jo?o did not know which way to turn.Under the pressure of his courtiers,who hungered to return to Portugal and their lost estates,he finally approved the new constitution and sailed for Portugal.He left behind him,however,his son and heir,Pedro,and in a private letter advised him that in the event the Brazilians should demand independence,he should assume leadership of the movement and set the crown of Brazil on his head.

Soon it became clear that the Portuguese parliament intended to set the clock back by abrogating all the liberties and concessions won by Brazil since 1808.One of its decrees insisted on the immediate return of Pedro from Brazil.The pace of events moved more rapidly in 1822.On January 9,urged on by Brazilian advisers who perceived a golden opportunity to make an orderly transition to independence without the intervention of the masses,Pedro refused an order from the parliament to return to Portugal,saying famously,“I remain.”O(jiān)n September 7,regarded by all Brazilians as Independence Day,he issued the even more celebrated proclamation,“Independence or death!”In December 1822,having overcome slight resistance by Portuguese troops,Dom Pedro was formally proclaimed constitutional Emperor of Brazil.

Question 13 of 14

Look at the four squares[■]that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.Therefore,although still closely linked to Portugal,Brazil was no longer formally considered a colony.Look at the four squares[■]that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

正確答案：B

題目詳解

題型分類：插入句子題

題干分析：考察句子和句子之間的銜接判斷（根據(jù)Therefore可以判斷，前一句是在解釋為什么巴西不再被正式看做殖民地）。

選項分析：

B選項前一句說：他把巴西提高到了一個王國的法律地位，與葡萄牙平等，這句話解釋了為什么巴西不再是殖民地。后一句的new status呼應了插入句的no longer formally considered a colony。正確。

A選項前一句沒有解釋原因，不構(gòu)成因果關(guān)系。

C選項后一句的England對應選項前一句的another，該處不能插句子。

D選項后一句的The treaty對應選項前一句的the Strangford Treaty of 1810，該處不能插句子。

Question 14 of 14

Directions:An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below.Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage.Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.This question is worth 2 points.

It was only after the Portuguese court moved to Brazil that significant progress toward Brazilian independence began.

Answer Choices:

A.

Major conspiracies against Portuguese dominance developed in regions where governmental control over Brazil’s economy had produced a spirit of revolt among Brazilian merchants.

B.

The presence of King Jo?o and his court in Rio de Janeiro created competition and tension with the Portuguese elites born in Brazil,who had no loyalties to the Portuguese crown.

C.

King Jo?o effectively freed Brazil from Portugal’s political and economic control and in 1815 elevated Brazil to the legal status of a kingdom coequal with Portugal.

D.

After the Portuguese revolution in 1820,Portugal attempted to reestablish complete control over Brazil;but although King Jo?o returned to Lisbon,Pedro,his son and heir,remained in Brazil.

E.

After freeing itself from Portuguese control,Brazil almost immediately fell under the control of England,which used its economic power to advance Brazil’s local industry for England’s benefit.

F.

In 1822 Dom Pedro refused Portugal’s demand that he return,declared Brazil’s independence,and by the year’s end had become constitutional Emperor of an independent Brazil.

正確答案：CDF

題目詳解

題型分類：文章總結(jié)題

題干分析：選擇概括性的正確選項。

選項分析：

C選項為文章第二段重要信息，effectively freed Brazil from Portugal’s political and economic control對應第二段第三句opened Brazil’s ports to the trade of friendly nations,permitted the rise of local industries,and founded the Bank of Brazil。elevated Brazil to the legal status of a kingdom對應第二段第四句。

D選項為文章第四段重要信息，reestablish complete control over Brazil對應第四段第三句。his son and heir,remained in Brazil對應最后一句He left behind him,however,his son and heir,Pedro。

F選項為文章最后一段重要信息，refused Portugal’s demand that he return出自倒數(shù)第三句Pedro refused an order from the parliament to return to Portugal。constitutional Emperor of an independent Brazil出自最后一句formally proclaimed constitutional Emperor of Brazil。

A選項對應第一段，但這是一個細節(jié)，不屬于文章主要內(nèi)容，而且文章中也沒有說“激起了巴西商人的不滿”。

B選項文章內(nèi)容不符，對應文章第三段。文中說competition是發(fā)生在巴西的精英與葡萄牙食客之間，而tension是發(fā)生在出生在巴西的葡萄牙精英和出生在葡萄牙并忠于葡萄牙王室的精英之間。

E選項對應文章第二段，文中并沒有說促進巴西當?shù)禺a(chǎn)業(yè)的發(fā)展，所以E選項后半句話錯誤。

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