GRE课程
近期Trump政府来势汹汹地向中国抛出连环毁灭性Executive Orders，前脚制裁华为，后脚制裁TikTok，现在他们的魔爪又伸向了微信。
这一系列的制裁背后都少不了美国国务卿蓬佩奥(Mike Pompeo)这个老江湖的操作，近日他公开发表了Press Statement表示将开展“净网行动”(clean network)。
美国科技新闻网The Verge最近也发表了一篇文章对Trump政府这一系列行为做了分析，并且评价其做法为rhetoric excercise(粉饰行为)，同时暗示这很可能是为了即将到来的大选做的铺垫。
这样的扑朔迷离，小伙伴们是不是已经有一种魂穿纸牌屋的感觉了：
在GRE考试中，也常常遇到以政治为背景的考题。但是，不必被这种不熟悉的话题给唬住！按照下面的示例做题，稳稳得分！
例题
The most striking thing about the politician is how often his politics have been (i) rather than ideological, as he adapts his political positions at any particular moment to the political realities that constrain him. He does not, however, piously (ii) political principles only to betray them in practice. Rather, he attempts in subtle ways to balance his political self-interest with a (iii) , viewing himself as an instrument of some unchanging higher purpose.
(i) | (ii) | (iii) |
A.quixotic | D.brandish | G.profound cynicism |
B.self-righteous | E.flout | H.deeply felt moral code |
C.strategic | F.follow | I.thoroughgoing pragmatism |
*OG Authentic GRE Practice Test Section 3, Q17
答案： CDH
一. 选取第一空所在部分：
The most striking thing about the politician is how often his politics have been (i) rather than ideological, as he adapts his political positions at any particular moment to the political realities that constrain him.
1. Blank1中应该填入一个形容词，用来描述政治家的政治策略的属性。
2. 空格和ideology根据Rather than取反。
3. As引导的后半句是对于前半句的重复说明，因而政治家的政策是根据不断变化的现实而改变的，空格1对应adapt to。
[A]quixotic: (幻想的)foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals; especially: marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action，排除
[B]self-righteous: (自以为是的)convinced of one's own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others: narrow-mindedly moralistic，排除
[C]strategic: (有策略的)of, relating to, or marked by strategy，正确
二. 选取第三空所在部分：
Rather, he attempts in subtle ways to balance his political self-interest with a (iii) , viewing himself as an instrument of some unchanging higher purpose.
1. 根据逗号前后同方向来做，并且balance A with B,空格三应该和self-interest有取反。
2. 第二句话有一个however，转折取反第一句话，后面要说这个人也不是这么的具有“策略性”，
选择与自主判读已知的词汇填空：
[D]profound cynicism：极度犬儒主义(负方向)，cynicism犬儒主义的观点认为“ 世人皆自私的”，那么就和self-interest同方向，根据之前分析的balance前后的内容应该取反，排除。
[E]deeply felt moral code：深刻的道德准则(正方向)，对应 unchanging higher purpose，正确
[F]thoroughgoing pragmatism：彻底的实用主义，和strategic同方向，排除。
三. 选取第二空所在部分：
He does not, however, piously (ii) political principles only to betray them in practice. Rather, he attempts in subtle ways to balance his political self-interest with a (iii) , viewing himself as an instrument of some unchanging higher purpose.
1. Rather表示前后两句话相反，最后一句话中说其实政治家从长远上来看是不动摇的，因而前面的话说的是政治家是动摇的。
2. 注意in practice表现实际上是betray the principle，空格2和betray取反。
[G]brandish：(挥舞)to shake or wave (as a weapon) menacingly，正确
[H]flout：(藐视) to treat with contemptuous disregard : SCORN，不符合题意，排除。
[I]follow：(跟从)，follow和brandish比起来，brandish更加能够体现政客的特点。
四. 理解句意，看是否逻辑与语义契合：
翻译：关于政治家最令人震撼的一点是他的政治立场是有策略地变化的，而不是一成不变的理想主义的，因为他在无时不刻地就当是他所处的政治环境来调整自己的政治立场的。然而，政治家并不是表面上使用政治原则为自己摇旗呐喊并实际上背叛政治原则的人。相反的是，政治家通过不断尝试细微的政治立场的调整来使自己的政治利益与自己内心深处的道德准则产生一个平衡关系，这样看来，实际上政治家应该追求的是一种更高级的、而且是不变的目标的执行者。
在其位，谋其政。这道GRE填空题充分描绘了政治家的真实心理与制衡之术，大家有没有get到呢？同学们也可以借此尝试揣摩一下Trump政府这次clean network行动的深层用意~
