雅思阅读真题(Part 2)

The 19th-century American circus

Part 2 · 考频:中频 · 最近考试:2026.7.25

文章内容(节选)

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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题目与答案

  1. an explanation for the origin of the travelling circus
    • A
    • B
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F

    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」

  2. an example of using ground transport to promote circuses
    • A
    • B
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F

    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」

  3. a reason why circuses appealed to labourers
    • A
    • B
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F

    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」

  4. a description of how rival circuses copied each other
    • A
    • B
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F

    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」

  5. a mention of the use of a new technology
    • A
    • B
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F

    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」

  6. a reference to a national leader who attended the circus
    • A
    • B
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F

    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」

  7. He got into the circus business to collect on a bad debt.
    • John Bill Ricketts
    • Joshuah Purdy Brown
    • P.T. Barnum
    • William Coup
    • James Bailey
    • Adam Forepaugh

    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」

  8. He performed on a circus horse.
    • John Bill Ricketts
    • Joshuah Purdy Brown
    • P.T. Barnum
    • William Coup
    • James Bailey
    • Adam Forepaugh

    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」

  9. He helped make the circus socially acceptable.
    • John Bill Ricketts
    • Joshuah Purdy Brown
    • P.T. Barnum
    • William Coup
    • James Bailey
    • Adam Forepaugh

    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

  10. He made travelling circuses possible.
    • John Bill Ricketts
    • Joshuah Purdy Brown
    • P.T. Barnum
    • William Coup
    • James Bailey
    • Adam Forepaugh

    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」

  11. The early years of James McGinnis
    James McGinnis left home to avoid difficulties with his sister. He then made people believe he had had a fatal 24_____ .

    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

  12. Later, James was employed to be an 25_____ to a man providing advertising for circuses.

    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」

  13. He also decided to use his employer’s 26_____ as his own. This proved to be the start of his successful career as a circus manager.

    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」

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