London will stage its biggest political funeral in almost half a century on Wednesday when Britain's governing elite join the Queen and global leaders to bid farewell to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, better known as the “ Iron Lady.
In an event parable to that of Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965, Thatcher's coffin will be carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage through streets lined with admirers from parliament to the city's most famous cathedral.
The bells of London's symbolic Big Ben clock tower will fall silent for the first time since Churchill's funeral and more than 700 men and women from Britain's armed forces will honor a woman who led them to victory in the 1982 Falklands War as foreign politicians from around 170 nations look on.
Surveys have shown that many are unhappy that the estimated l0-million($15 million)pound bill for the funeral is being picked up by the taxpayer, while some left-wing lawmakers say the luxurious funeral is too expensive.
But her admirers, of whom there are many in her party and in southern England, argue that her historical profile deserves such a funeral. She was the country's first and only woman premier, was Britain's longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century, and won three general elections.
More than 2,300 mourners will attend including 11 serving prime ministers from around the world, the British government's entire cabinet, two heads of state and 17 foreign ministers.
But there will be notable absences. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is too ill to attend and Nancy Reagan, the widow of Thatcher's great U·S. ally Ronald Reagan, is also unable to e.
Thatcher struck up a close relationship with Reagan during the Cold War, backed the first President George Bush during the 1991 Gulf War, and was among the first to discover that Gorbachev was a man she could do business with. ”
Covered in the red, white and blue British flag, Thatcher's coffin lay overnight in a 13th-century church in Britain's parliament, a forum she dominated for years.
【小题1】From the passage we know that Big Ben clock tower will fall silent to . A．get repaired for the first timeB．honour the passing away of the great womanC．tell the specific time to the publicD．wele the officials from all over the world【小题2】Who that are still alive will be absent from the funeral?A．Mikhail Gorbachev and Nancy Reagan.B．Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan.C．Nancy Reagan and Ronald Reagan. D．George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev.【小题3】From the passage we can learn that Margaret Thatcher was . A．strong and smartB．weak and disappointingC．aggressive and warlikeD．stubborn and luxurious【小题4】Which of the following might serve as the best title of the passage?A．The legend of Thatcher, the “Iron Lady. B．Why Big Ben falls silent for the first time?C．Who will pay for such a luxurious funeral?D．London will witness its biggest political funeral.B
网友回答
(答案→)B
解析：这是一篇新闻报道，该文报道了伦敦将于当地时间本周三（4月17日）在圣保罗大教堂为前首相撒切尔夫人举办半个世纪以来最盛大的政治葬礼的有关信息。
【小题1】B 推理判断题。根据常识我们知道“葬礼进行期间，伦敦大本钟将处于静音状态”是对“这位伟大女性逝世的纪念”。AC选项是“无中生有”；D选项是“张冠李戴”，均可以排除。
【小题2】A细节理解题。根据“Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is too ill to attend and Nancy
Reagan, the widow of Thatcher's great U·S. ally Ronald Reagan, is also unable to e.”我们知道：前苏联领导人米哈伊尔·戈尔巴乔夫病重不能出席葬礼；前美国总统里根的遗孀南希?里根也无法出席葬礼。故选择答案A。
【小题3】A推理判断题。从首段中“Margaret Thatcher, better known as the ‘Iron Lady’ 可知撒切尔夫人被认为是“铁娘子”说明她“strong强硬”；根据第五段中“She was the country's first and only woman premier, was Britain's longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century, and won three general elections.(她是英国首位也是唯一一位女首相，是20世纪在任时间最长的首相，曾经赢得过三次选举)” 可以推断撒切尔夫人是一个“睿智聪明”的人。其余三个选项“ B. 软弱的和令人失望的、C.具有攻击性的和好战的、D.固执的和生活奢侈的”均不对。
【小题4】D 主旨大意题。一般说来新闻报道的第一句话或第一段就已经明确点明了主题。将这个主题浓缩一下就是新闻报道的标题。第一段说：伦敦将于当地时间本周三（4月17日）在圣保罗大教堂为前首相撒切尔夫人举办半个世纪以来最盛大的政治葬礼。将其浓缩一下就是：London will witness its biggest political funeral(伦敦将见证他的最盛大的政治葬礼)。