托福閱讀真題Official 50 Passage 2（三）

托福閱讀真題Official 50 Passage 2（三）

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 5 of 14

According to paragraph 2,King Jo?o did each of the following for Brazil EXCEPT

A.establish a national bank

B.support Brazilian industries

C.obtain important tariff concessions from England

D.encourage trade with a wider range of nations

正確答案：C

題目詳解

題型分類：否定事實(shí)信息題

原文定位：根據(jù)King Jo?o定位到第三句，然后根據(jù)選項(xiàng)定位。

選項(xiàng)分析：

定位句概述了King Jo?o所做的3件事：（1）開(kāi)放巴西的港口，與友好國(guó)家進(jìn)行貿(mào)易往來(lái)；（2）使地方產(chǎn)業(yè)的崛起成為可能；（3）建立了巴西銀行。

C選項(xiàng)與第五句有關(guān)，是英國(guó)獲得tariff concessions而不是巴西，關(guān)稅問(wèn)題也沒(méi)有說(shuō)和King Jo?o有關(guān)，正確。

A選項(xiàng)a national bank對(duì)應(yīng)定位句the Bank of Brazil。

B選項(xiàng)對(duì)應(yīng)permitted the rise of local industries。

D選項(xiàng)對(duì)應(yīng)opened Brazil’s ports to the trade of friendly nations。

Question 6 of 14

The word“precipitated”in the passage is closest in meaning to

A.came before

B.brought about

C.resulted from

D.slowed down

正確答案：B

題目詳解

題型分類：詞匯題

選項(xiàng)分析：

原句的意思是precipitated巴西與宗主國(guó)（葡萄牙）決裂的事件是1820年的葡萄牙革命?？梢酝茰y(cè)這里precipitated意為導(dǎo)致，引起，即B選項(xiàng)：造成，引起；導(dǎo)致（某事）。

A選項(xiàng)came before：在……之前來(lái)，在……之上。

C選項(xiàng)resulted from：產(chǎn)生于……，由……引起，因?yàn)?/p>

D選項(xiàng)slowed down：（使）慢下來(lái)。

均不符合語(yǔ)境。

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