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It seems clear that literature has become more and more a female activity. In bookstores, at conference or public readings by writers, and even in university departments dedicated to the humanities, the women clearly outnumber the men. The explanation traditionally given is that middle-class women read more because they work fewer hours than men, and so many of them feel that they can justify more easily than men the time that they devote to fantasy and illusion. I am somewhat allergic（反感的）to explanations that divide men and women into frozen categories and attribute to each sex its characteristic virtues and shortcomings; but there is no doubt that there are fewer and fewer readers of literature, and that among the saving remnant（剩余）of readers women predominate.

This is the case almost everywhere. In Spain, for example, a recent survey organized by the General Society of Spanish Writers revealed that half of that country's population has never read a book. The survey also revealed that in the minority that does read, the number of women who admitted to reading surpasses the number of men by 6.2 percent, a difference that appears to be increasing. I am happy for these women, but I feel sorry for these men, and for the millions of human beings who could read but have decided not to read.

They earn my pity not only because they are unaware of the pleasure that they are missing, but also because I am convinced that a society without literature, or a society in which literature has been relegated—like some hidden vice—to the margins of social and personal life, is a society condemned to become spiritually barbaric, and even to jeopardize（破坏）its freedom. I wish to offer a few arguments against the idea of literature as a luxury pastime, and in favor of viewing it as one of the most primary and necessary undertakings of the mind, an irreplaceable activity for the formation of citizens in a modern and democratic society, a society of free individuals.

1．According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A．Women read less than men.

B．Reading becomes more and more female-centered.

C．Most literature aims at women.

D．Women's characteristics lead to their hobby of reading.

2．The author considers traditional explanation____.

A．logical

B．not convincing

C．not interesting

D．totally true

3．The author cites the example of Spain in order to____.

A．explain the reasons why literature is more a female activity

B．show women always devote the time to fantasy and illusion

C．illustrate the phenomenon that literature is more a female activity existing in nearly every country

D．show how illiterate the Spanish people are

4．What's the author's attitude towards the people who don't read?

A．Pitiful.

B．Angry.

C．Agreeable.

D．Allergic.

5．It can be inferred from Para. 3 that____.

A．a society which lacks literature is an ideal society

B．if a society lacks literature, the freedom cannot be guaranteed

C．literature is a luxury pastime

D．literature is not a necessity in a democratic society

1．【答案】B

【精析】由第一段第一句“It seems clear that literature has become more and more a female activity.”可知，B项正确。A项与原文意思相反；C项属无中生有；D项有一定迷惑性，但characteristics一词用得过于宽泛，文中也没有直接的信息可以推断出是女人们的性格导致了她们读书的喜好。

2．【答案】B

【精析】由题干关键词“explanation”定位至第一段第四句“I am somewhat allergic to explanations that divide men and women into frozen categories and attribute to each sex its characteristic virtues and shortcomings...”由此可见，作者不相信传统的解释，即认为传统解释没有说服力，故选B项。

3．【答案】C

【精析】由题干关键词“Spain”定位至第二段前两句“This is the case almost everywhere. ...”这里的the case即指第一段第一句的内容，因而选C项。A项具有一定的迷惑性，但是表述没有C项全面；B项虽然在文中有提及，但是和题干关系不大；D项更非作者本意，故排除。

4．【答案】A

【精析】由题干关键词“who don't read”定位至第二段最后一句“...I feel sorry for these men, and for the millions of human beings who could read but have decided not to read.”其中“sorry”和“pitiful”意思相近，故选A项。D项指的是作者反感的是将男女生硬地区分对待的解释，不合题意；B项、C项和这句话中所透露的作者的态度相差太远，故排除。

5．【答案】B

【精析】本题就第三段进行提问。由该段中“...is a society condemned...to jeopardize its freedom”可判断出，B项是正确的。A项不符合事实；由该段倒数第二行“as one of the most...mind”可知，读书是一种基本需求，而不是奢侈的娱乐，故排除C项；由该段倒数第一、二行“...an irreplaceable activity...democratic society”可知，文学对于民主社会来说是必需的，故排除D项。