求助：OG-35-218

youyoull

Passage 35

Two divergent definitions have dominated sociologists’

discussions of the nature of ethnicity. The first emphasizes

the primordial and unchanging character of ethnicity. In

this view, people have an essential need for belonging that

(5) is satisfied by membership in groups based on shared

ancestry and culture. A different conception of ethnicity

de-emphasizes the cultural component and defines ethnic

groups as interest groups. In this view, ethnicity serves as

a way of mobilizing a certain population behind issues

(10) relating to its economic position. While both of these

definitions are useful, neither fully captures the dynamic

and changing aspects of ethnicity in the United States.

Rather, ethnicity is more satisfactorily conceived of as a

process in which preexisting communal bonds and common

(15) cultural attributes are adapted for instrumental purposes

according to changing real-life situations.

One example of this process is the rise of participation

by Native American people in the broader United States

political system since the Civil Rights movement of the

(20)1960’s. Besides leading Native Americans to participate

more actively in politics (the number of Native American

legislative officeholders more than doubled), this movement

also evoked increased interest in tribal history and traditional

culture. Cultural and instrumental components of

(25 )ethnicity are not mutually exclusive, but rather reinforce

one another.

The Civil Rights movement also brought changes in the

uses to which ethnicity was put by Mexican American

people. In the 1960’s, Mexican Americans formed

(30) community-based political groups that emphasized ancestral

heritage as a way of mobilizing constituents. Such emerg-

ing issues as immigration and voting rights gave Mexican

American advocacy groups the means by which to promote

ethnic solidarity. Like European ethnic groups in the

(35) nineteenth-century United States, late-twentieth-century

Mexican American leaders combined ethnic with contem-

porary civic symbols. In 1968 Henry Censors, then mayor

of San Antonio, Texas, cited Mexican leader Benito Juarez

as a model for Mexican Americans in their fight for con-

(40) temporary civil rights. And every year, Mexican Americans

celebrate Cinco de Mayo as fervently as many Irish

American people embrace St. Patrick’s Day (both are major

holidays in the countries of origin), with both holidays

having been reinvented in the context of the United States

and linked to ideals, symbols, and heroes of the United

States

218. Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?

(A) In their definitions of the nature of ethnicity, sociologists have underestimated the power of the primordial human need to belong.

(B) Ethnicity is best defined as a dynamic process that combines cultural components with shared political and economic interests.

(C) In the United States in the twentieth century, ethnic groups have begun to organize in order to further their political and economic interests.

(D) Ethnicity in the United States has been significantly changed by the Civil Rights movement.

(E) The two definitions of ethnicity that have dominated sociologists discussions are incompatible and should be replaced by an entirely new approach.

og的解释：

218.
This question asks you to identify the statement that best expresses the main idea of the passage.
The best answer is B. The passage defines ethnicity and provides examples to illustrate how
ethnicity is a “process” that combines cultural concerns with the “shared political and economic
interests” mentioned in choice B. Choice A can be eliminated because the “primorodial” character
of ethnicity mentioned in the passage. Choices C and D can be eliminated because ethnic groups’
efforts to further their political and economic interests and changes brought about by the Civil
Rights movement are merely used by the author as evidence supporting the main idea. Choice E is
not correct because although the passage suggests a new conception of ethnicity, there is no
indication that the other definitions discussed are incompatible with each other.

不太明白B中的 ” shared political " 是怎么从文中推出的。 " instrumental pruposes " & " instrumental companents" ？

请大家们帮帮忙，谢谢啦～

wangyu73cn

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardID=25&ID=74687&page=1

供参考

youyoull

谢谢wangyu73cn , 刚才偶没有搜索到这个帖子。

3、 The passage defines ethnicity and provides examples to illustrate how ethnicity is a “process” that combines cultural concerns with the “shared political and economic interests” mentioned in choice B.

这句指出了文章的主题。而“shared political and economic interests”在下面两句话中有所体现：A different conception of ethnicity de-emphasizes the cultural component and defines ethnic groups as interest groups. In this view, ethnicity serves as a way of mobilizing a certain population behind issues relating to its economic position.文章后面进一步提及的instrumental purposes、instrumental components、community-based political groups也反映了shared political and economic interests这一含义。当然，文章的cultural concerns方面在文章各部分也有不同的所指，在此不一一列出了。如果我们在考试时能够确认它们间互相所指的联系，文章就更容易看懂了，而且文章前后的关系就显得更紧密了。一般来讲，文章就是依靠一些内在的联系组织在一起的。

我用排除法做对了这道题，但一直对文中" shared political and economic interests "  比较困惑。 文中的 instrumental purposes , instrumental components 是什么意思啊

  谢谢啦！

Lucky0506

我和你有同样的疑惑。怎么没有人解释呢？NN，请现身吧！

wangyu73cn

instrumental的意思有serving as a means or an agency，即作为手段的、有帮助的意思。我想这里不妨理解成“功利的”、“实用的”意思。

snowjing

跟个贴:

221.  The passage supports which of the following statements about the Mexican American community?

(A) In the 1960’s the Mexican American community began to incorporate the customs of another ethnic group in the United States into the observation of its own ethnic holidays.

(B) In the 1960’s Mexican American community groups promoted ethnic solidarity primarily in order to effect economic change.

(C) In the 1960’s leader of the Mexican American community concentrated their efforts on promoting a renaissance of ethnic history and culture.

(D) In the 1960’s members of the Mexican American community were becoming increasingly concerned about the issue of voting rights.（D）

(E) In the 1960’s the Mexican American community had greater success in mobilizing constituents than did other ethnic groups in the United States.

答案没问题. 有关OG对C的解释看不懂:

Choice C is incorrect because the passage suggests that ethnic history and culture were not ends in themselves but were used to promote political ends.

Highlight部分看不懂, 请XDJM们帮忙看看.

[此贴子已经被作者于2005-8-30 4:42:40编辑过]

wangyu73cn

是说其终极目标在于政治方面。

snowjing

可文章看不出哪里有这层意思? 请版主再帮忙看看,非常感谢.

wangyu73cn

The Civil Rights movement also brought changes in the

uses to which ethnicity was put by Mexican American

people. In the 1960’s, Mexican Americans formed

(30) community-based political groups that emphasized ancestral

heritage as a way of mobilizing constituents.

snowjing

收到， 谢谢版主。