雅思阅读真题(Part 2)
Part 2 · 考频:中频 · 最近考试:2026.7.25
A
The American circus was born in Philadelphia in 1793, during the term of the first U.S. president, George Washington. Founded by Englishman John Bill Ricketts, this early circus established the common features of most American circuses over the next century and beyond: tricks with animals, especially horses, acrobats performing startling feats, and clowns. Ricketts was himself a highly skilled trick rider whose most famous stunt was riding at full speed while holding a child over his head. President Washington even celebrated his birthday at the circus, and Ricketts had his portrait painted by Gilbert Stuart, famous for his presidential portraits.
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答案:B
原文定位:In 1825, Joshuah Purdy Brown's became the first U.S. circus to tour with its own specially constructed, portable, canvas tent, allowing it to perform in both large and small towns. Soon the traveling circus became the typical U.S. circus, moving throughout the country during the circus season of spring through autumn
同义替换:「origin」↔「first」
答案:E
原文定位:Coup persuaded the railroads to sell low priced passenger tickets for travel to circus towns, with circus admission included
同义替换:「ground transport」↔「railroads」,「promote circuses」↔「sell low priced passenger tickets for travel to circus towns, with circus admission included」
答案:C
原文定位:New settlers typically were struggling small farmers who were living lives of hard, physical work from sunup until sundown, with few opportunities for entertainment. That is until, for a day, a traveling circus came to town and provided a glimpse of an exotic, alternative existence
同义替换:「labourers」↔「struggling small farmers」,「appealed to」↔「provided a glimpse of an exotic, alternative existence」
答案:G
原文定位:Forepaugh’s circuses began parading through the streets of a city before performances, drawing large, excited crowds, and leading them straight to the circus grounds. Soon Barnum and Bailey’s circus did the same. After Barnum and Bailey had great success with a giant African elephant named Jumbo, Forepaugh quickly imported his own great elephant, Goliath
同义替换:「copied each other」↔「did the same」
答案:F
原文定位:After returning to the U.S., he very successfully made his circus the first to recently begin to use electric lighting for night performances
同义替换:「electric lighting」↔「new technology」
答案:A
原文定位:President Washington even celebrated his birthday at the circus, and Ricketts had his portrait painted by Gilbert Stuart, famous for his presidential portraits
同义替换:「national leader」↔「President」,「attended the circus」↔「celebrated his birthday at the circus」
答案:Adam Forepaugh
原文定位:When a circus owner couldn’t pay Forepaugh for a number of horses he'd bought, Forepaugh took a share of the circus as payment, and discovered a talent for circus management
同义替换:「collect on a bad debt」↔「took a share of the circus as payment」,「got into the circus business」↔「discovered a talent for circus management」
答案:John Bill Ricketts
原文定位:Ricketts was himself a highly skilled trick rider whose most famous stunt was riding at full speed while holding a child over his head
同义替换:「performed on a circus horse」↔「trick rider」
答案:P.T. Barnum
原文定位:The response from the 19th century’s most successful circus promoter, P.T. Barnum, was to add a traveling zoo of exotic animals, which he called a menagerie. Barnum then claimed he was offering his patrons an education. The strategy succeeded in quieting the critics, and menageries became a feature of many circuses
答案:Joshuah Purdy Brown
原文定位:In 1825, Joshuah Purdy Brown's became the first U.S. circus to tour with its own specially constructed, portable, canvas tent, allowing it to perform in both large and small towns
同义替换:「made travelling circuses possible」↔「allowing it to perform in both large and small towns」
答案:accident
原文定位:After pretending to have drowned in a swimming accident, he found work as a bellboy at a hotel
答案:apprentice
原文定位:Later, he persuaded a circus publicist staying there to hire him as an apprentice
同义替换:「was employed」↔「hire」,「a man providing advertising for circuses」↔「circus publicist」
答案:last name
原文定位:Years of marketing circuses under an experienced publicist taught him the key to circus promotion; he also decided to take the publicist’s last name
同义替换:「use his employer’s last name as his own」↔「take the publicist’s last name」