市面上流传的GRE阅读机经真题有三百多篇，同时又存在多种版本的答案和解析，有些疑难题目让考生不知道听谁的，还有些版本的解析像是用谷歌翻译把同题目和选项翻译了一下。TD GRE教研组认为，GRE阅读的解析，可以讲得再清楚一点。 GRE不光有技巧，不光有快速解题法，GRE更加考察大家的逻辑硬实力，文字理解实打实的深度。良好的GRE备考应当在课堂上向老师学习快速解题法，取同取反逻辑的同时，课下扎扎实实的读懂每一句话。读懂，是一切技巧使用的前提。皮之不存，毛将焉附？ 有感于此，我们尝试用比较长的时间，原创一个解析，力求做到超详细，大白话，包你懂。往期GRE阅读真题详细解析?：GRE阅读Passage 解析，今天继续为大家推出GRE阅读Passage 23（长阅读）解析，这篇阅读一共有5段，带5道题，TD版超详细「包你懂」系列对此篇文章进行了清楚地解析。

GRE阅读Passage 23

In his recent book, Louis Gerteis argues that nineteenth-century Northern reformers in the United States attacked slavery in the South by invoking the values of a utilitarian political economy: proper public policy requires government to endorse anything that gives all people the opportunity to maximize their individual pleasure and their material gain. Social good, according to this thinking, is achieved when individuals are free to pursue their self-interests. Gerteis argues that, since slavery in the South precluded individual autonomy and the free pursuit of material gain, major Northern reformers opposed it as early as the 1830s. In making this argument, Gerteis offers the most persuasive formulation to date of the Growth of a Dissenting Minority interpretation, which argues that a slow but steady evolution of a broad-based Northern antislavery coalition culminated in the presidential victory of the antislavery Lincoln in 1860. This interpretive framework, which once dominated antislavery historiography, had beendiscounted by historians for two basic reasons. First, it tended to homogenize the political diversity of Northern reformers; Northern reformers differed significantly among themselves and belonged to diverse political parties. Second, it seemed incompatible with emerging scholarship on the slaveholding South, which held that Northern abolitionists of the 1830s did not succeed in mobilizing Northern public opinion and paving the way for Lincoln in 1860. Instead, Southern slaveholders misconstrued abolitionist views of the 1830s as main- stream rather than marginal Northern public opinion, and castigated Northerners generally for opposing slavery. In this view, it was the castigation by Southerners that gradually caused widespread antislavery feeling throughout the North. Gerteis revives the Growth interpretation by asserting that, rather than Southern attitudes, the unified commitment of Northern reformers to utilitarian values served to galvanize popular political support for abolitionism. However, unlike earlier proponents of the Growth interpretation, Gerteis does not reduce the Northern reformers to a homogeneous group or try to argue that the reformers shared views undermined their differing party loyalties. Members of the two major political parties still attacked each other for ideological differences. Nevertheless, Gerteis argues, these disparate party affiliations did not diminish the actuality of reformer unity, most prominent in the 1830s. At this time, Northern reformers, such as William Lloyd Garrison and Samuel Chase, portrayed the framers of the United States Constitution as proponents of individual autonomy and capitalist values. This vision of the founders served as a basis for asserting that freedom was a national moral imperative, and that the United Sates Constitution was an antislavery document. Gerteis differs from traditional adherents of the Growth framework by asserting that the basic elements in the antislavery coalition were firmly in place and accepted by all elements in the Northern reform community as early as the late 1830s.

文章解析

第一自然段：

In his recent book, Louis Gerteis argues that nineteenth-century Northern reformers in the United States attacked slavery in the South by invoking the values of a utilitarian political economy: proper public policy requires government to endorse anything that gives all people the opportunity to maximize their individual pleasure and their material gain. Social good, according to this thinking, is achieved when individuals are free to pursue their self-interests. Gerteis argues that, since slavery in the South precluded individual autonomy and the free pursuit of material gain, major Northern reformers opposed it as early as the 1830s. 白话版讲解： Louis Gerteis最近出了一本书，在书中，他提出理由想证明这样一种观点（argue）：19世纪美国北方的主张改革的人（reformers）通过求助于（invoke）实用政治经济学的价值观来攻击南方的奴隶制。这种价值观就是：“任何事情，只要能够给所有人最大化自己的个人满足和物质利益的机会，政府都应该批准。这才是适宜的公共政策”。而当（社会中的）个体可以自由追逐自己的利益时，就能实现社会利益（的增加）。（所以政府应该批准社会中的个体获得自由）。但南方的奴隶制却阻挠个体获得自由、自由地去追求物质利益，所以南方的奴隶制不是适宜的公共政策。因为这个原因，北方的主张改革的人反对南方的奴隶制。而且，这种反对早在1830年代就开始了。 注解： argue vt. （为支持某一想法、行动或理论而）提出理由（或证据）（多用于说服他人同意自己观点） give reasons or cite evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others to share one's view 简单地说，argue我们可以翻译成“主张、认为”，那我们也要知道，说“谁argues that……”，意思就是说谁不仅提出了一个观点，还提出了很多理由和证据来支持这个观点。

第二自然段第一部分：

In making this argument, Gerteis offers the most persuasive formulation to date of the Growth of a Dissenting Minority interpretation, which argues that a slow but steady evolution of a broad-based Northern antislavery coalition culminated in the presidential victory of the antislavery Lincoln in 1860. 白话版讲解： 在进行上述论证时，Gerteis对关于本来就有的一个理论给出了迄今为止（to date）最有说服力的表述（formulation）。这个理论就是Growth of a Dissenting Minority interpretation。这个理论认为，在北方，（从1830年代开始到）逐渐而稳定地形成了一个基础很广的反奴隶制的势力的联合，这个势力的联合在林肯（林肯是反对奴隶制的）于1860年获得总统大选时达到了顶峰。 注解： formulation n. 某种思想或理论的某种具体表述 a particular expression of an idea, thought, or theory

第二自然段第二部分话：

This interpretive framework, which once dominated antislavery historiography, had been discounted by historians for two basic reasons. First, it tended to homogenize the political diversity of Northern reformers; Northern reformers differed significantly among themselves and belonged to diverse political parties. Second, it seemed incompatible with emerging scholarship on the slaveholding South, which held that Northern abolitionists of the 1830s did not succeed in mobilizing Northern public opinion and paving the way for Lincoln in 1860. 白话版讲解： 这个诠释框架（指Growth of a Dissenting Minority interpretation），曾经一度在关于反奴隶制的历史书写中占据首要地位，但是后来历史学家们又都否定（不再考虑）这个理论了。他们之所以否定这个理论，主要有两个基本的原因。第一个原因是，这种理论倾向于把北方主张改革的人的政治多样性搞均匀（即忽视他们的political diversity），而实际上北方的主张改革的人内部是有很大不同的，且他们属于不同的多个政党。这种做法是错的，所以那个Growth of a Dissenting Minority理论错了。第二个原因是，新出现了一些研究推行蓄奴制的南方的学者，他们认为在1830年代，北方的废奴主义者（abolitionist）是想动员北方民众的，想为林肯在1860年赢得大选创造条件，但是他们并没有成功。所以认为“是北方的abolitionist的动员搞成了一个coalition”的那种观点（即Growth of a Dissenting Minority interpretation），错了。

第三自然段：

Instead, Southern slaveholders misconstrued abolitionist views of the 1830s as main- stream rather than marginal Northern public opinion, and castigated Northerners generally for opposing slavery. In this view, it was the castigation by Southerners that gradually caused widespread antislavery feeling throughout the North. 白话版讲解： （这些新出的研究南方的学者）认为，恰恰相反，北方的coalition形成的原因是这样的：在1830年代，当时南方的奴隶主搞错了，误以为当时北方的abolitionist是北方的主流（其实当时这些abolitionist只是边缘群体）了，误认为北方人普遍反对奴隶制，于是就严厉责骂全部北方人。然后北方人（觉得这种castigation是冤枉他们了，就对南方人很反感），于是在北方就真的出现了广泛的反奴隶制情绪。

第四自然段：

Gerteis revives the Growth interpretation by asserting that, rather than Southern attitudes, the unified commitment of Northern reformers to utilitarian values served to galvanize popular political support for abolitionism. However, unlike earlier proponents of the Growth interpretation, Gerteis does not reduce the Northern reformers to a homogeneous group or try to argue that the reformers shared views undermined their differing party loyalties. Members of the two major political parties still attacked each other for ideological differences. 白话版讲解： 那个Growth of a Dissenting Minority interpretation本来已经被抛弃了，Gerteis却使得这种理论重获（历史学家）的兴趣，他坚称：激起大众在政治上支持abolitionist的，不是南方人对北方人的态度，而是北方的主张改革的人全都信奉了（第一自然段提到的那种）实用主义价值观。不过，早些时候支持Growth of a Dissenting Minority interpretation的历史学家，把北方主张改革的人的复杂情况简化，把他们简单地归为一个同质的群体；或认为这些主张改革人的有些共同的观点，以至于削弱了他们对各自所属党派的忠诚（以至于他们内部一团和气）。Gerteis没有像那些历史学家一样，他承认：在在那些主张改革的人内部，分属两大党派的人是会因为关于政治经济思想体系不同而互相攻击的。

第五自然段第一部分：

Nevertheless, Gerteis argues, these disparate party affiliations did not diminish the actuality of reformer unity, most prominent in the 1830s. At this time, Northern reformers, such as William Lloyd Garrison and Samuel Chase, portrayed the framers of the United States Constitution as proponents of individual autonomy and capitalist values. This vision of the founders served as a basis for asserting that freedom was a national moral imperative, and that the United Sates Constitution was an antislavery document. 白话版讲解： 不过，Gerteis又说，北方主张改革的人内部存在的不同党派，并没有减损他们的实际团结。这种团结在1830年代尤其显著。在这一时期，北方主张改革的人（如William Lloyd Garrison 和 Samuel Chase）大都将起草美国宪法的人描绘为支持个人自治（自由）和（自由）资本主义价值观的人（即反对奴隶制的人）。其实这只是他们把国父们构想成会这样（真实情况没有这么简单，也可以把国父们构想成不是这样的人）。以这种构想（vison）为基础，就可以进一步坚称：实现（人人）自由是美国在道德上的义务，美国宪法是一个反奴隶制的文件。 第五自然段第二部分话： Gerteis differs from traditional adherents of the Growth framework by asserting that the basic elements in the antislavery coalition were firmly in place and accepted by all elements in the Northern reform community as early as the late 1830s. 白话版讲解： Gerteis和那些传统的赞同Growth of a Dissenting Minority理论的历史学家又有另一个不同。Gerteis坚称，早在1830年代末期，反奴隶制联盟的一些基本群体已经牢牢地就位，且已被北方提倡改革的大群内所有小群体接受了。 注解： element n.(常作 elements) 某群人或组织中的一组，一伙 a group of people of a particular kind within a larger group or organization 例句： Those are the extreme right-wing elements in the army. 那些人是军队中的极端右翼分子。

题目解析

1. The passage is primarily concerned with A. criticizing adherents of a traditional view for overlooking important data. B. reconciling two different explanations for the same phenomenon. C. describing a reformulation of a traditional interpretation. D. advocating a traditional approach to a controversial subject. E. suggesting that a new interpretation is based on faulty assumptions. 点击空白处查看答案 ▼
白话版讲解： 问全文修辞功能。 A“批评一些坚持某个传统观点的人忽视了一些重要的数据” B“调和对同一个现象的两种不同解释” C“描述对一种传统解读的重新表述” D“主张对一个有争议的主题采用一种传统的研究方法” E“暗示一项新的解读是基于几个错误的前设的” 文章是在讲Gerteis 给旧理论提出了一个（新的）formulation（根据第二自然段第一句话），revives了旧的理论 the Growth interpretation（根据第四自然段第一句话），可以对应C选项中的reformulation of a traditional interpretation，所以C选项正确。 2. The author would be most likely to agree with which of the following about Gerteis formulation of the Growth interpretation? A. It is too similar to the traditional version of the Growth interpretation. B. It is of dubious validity and does not expand research on the antislavery movement. C. It is strongly supported by recent research on the nineteenth-century South. D. It is more convincing than the traditional version of the Growth interpretation. E. It is seminal work that will be highly influential on future research. 点击空白处查看答案 ▼
白话版讲解： 下列关于Gerteis对Growth理论的formulation的说法，作者最可能会同意哪一个？ A“和传统版本的Growth理论太相近” 文章指出了Gerteis的formulation和传统版本的Growth理论是有差别的，所以A错误。 B“其确凿度不可靠，且没有扩展关于反奴隶制运动研究的范畴” 文章没有对关于Gerteis的formulation持批评态度，所以B错误。 C“被最近关于19世纪南方的研究强有力地支持” 文章没有提到，所以C错误。 D“比传统版本的Growth理论更令人信服” 这个Growth of a Dissenting Minority理论曾经被历史学家们摒弃（根据文章第二自然段第二部分），是Gerteis这个人 revive了 这个Growth of a Dissenting Minority理论（第四自然段第一句话），所以我们可以看出作者认为Gerteis的新的formulation优于旧版本。所以D选项正确。 E“具有开拓性的，对未来的研究会有深远影响” 文章没有提到。所以E错误。 注解： seminal adj. 具有开拓性的；有深远影响的 containing important new ideas and having a great influence on later work 例句： She wrote a seminal article on the subject while she was still a student. 她在学生时期就写了一篇有关该主题的文章，文章影响深远。 3. The passage supports which of the following statements about the Growth interpretation? A. It had been dismissed by earlier historians but has recently come to dominate antislavery historiography. B. It has recently received support from emerging scholarship on the nineteenth- century South. C. It was once very influential in antislavery historiography and has recently been reformulated. D. It has always been highly controversial and is still widely debated by historians. E. It has recently been discounted by emerging scholarship on utilitarian values in the nineteenth-century South. 点击空白处查看答案 ▼
白话版讲解： 问下列关于Growth理论的说法，哪一个是文章支持的？ A“曾经被早先的历史学家摒弃，最近开始在反奴隶制历史书写中占支配地位” 文章没有提到最近开始占支配地位，所以A错误。 B“最近获得了研究19世纪南方的学者的支持” 根据文章，应该是曾经被这些学者反对，所以B错误。 C“曾经有影响，最近被人重新表述了” 根据文章，确实是曾经once dominated antislavery historiography，然后被Gerteis这个人reformulated了。所以C正确。 D“一直很有争议，历史学家至今仍围绕其争辩” 根据文章，曾经dominated，至少dominated的那时候是没有争议的，所以D错误。 E“出现了一些研究19世纪南方的实用主义价值观的学者，这些学者最近认为Growth理论不可信，不值得考虑。” 文章只提到了北方人求助于utilitarian values，按文章意思应该是用utilitarian values说服那些不反对南方奴隶制的北方人变得反对南方的奴隶制，从而mobilize民众，形成一个coalition。并没有说新出现的历史学家是专门研究南方的utilitarian values的。另外，E选项是现在完成时，而文章第二自然段第二部分第一句话出现的had been discounted by historians是过去完成时。时态不一致。所以E错误。 4. Which of the following, if true, would provide the LEAST support for Gerteis arguments as they are discussed in the passage? A. In the 1870s, following the abolition of slavery, many Northerners remained unified in their desire to see an effective free-labor system implemented in the South. B. As early as the 1830s, Northern abolitionists and Northern reformers with a commitment to utilitarian values began to agree that the United States Constitution was an important antislavery document. C. Many Northern reformers who disagreed about political policies argued that abolishing slavery should be a central goal of the United States government. D. As early as 1836, many Northern reformers argued that slavery destroyed individuals ability to pursue their self-interests and thwarted the free pursuit of material gain. E. Owing to their different party allegiances, Northern reformers who shared utilitarian values did not join together in important collective actions against slavery. 点击空白处查看答案 ▼
白话版讲解： 题目问下列哪一个选项为真时，会给Gerteis给出的一系列论证最少的支持？可以理解为是要求考生选出可以削弱Gerteis一系列论证的选项。 A“到1870年代，废除奴隶制后，很多北方人仍然一致有一个愿望，希望在南方推行一个有效的自由劳动制度” Gerteis也赞同北方人是一致的，所以这个选项不会削弱Gerteis的论点。所以A错误。 B“早在1830年代，一直赞同实用主义价值观的北方的abolitionist和赞成改革的人，就开始一致认为美国宪法是一份重要的反奴隶制文件了” 和Gerteis的观点不矛盾。所以B错误。 C“很多北方的赞同改革的人，虽然对有些政策有不同观点，但是都认为废除奴隶制应该是美国政府的一项中心目标” 和Gerteis的观点不矛盾。所以C错误。 D“早在1836年，很多北方的赞同改革的人就认为奴隶制毁坏了个人追求自身利益的能力，阻碍了（人们）对物质利益的自由追去求” 和Gerteis的观点不矛盾。所以D错误。 E “北方的赞同改革的人，虽然都支持实用主义价值观，但是因为效忠于不同的政党，所以在一些重要的反对奴隶制的集体行动中，并没有联手一起加入” 和Gerteis的观点矛盾（根据文章第五自然段第一句话），会削弱Gerteis的论证。所以E正确。 5. The author of the passage mentions “emerging scholarship” most probably in order to A. describe an argument that has been advanced to challenge the “Growth” interpretation. B. show how Gerteis has used recent research to support his formulation of the “Growth” interpretation. C. explain how the “Growth” interpretation was originally developed. D. discuss a theory about the nineteenth century North that is very similar to the “Growth” interpretation. E. suggest that the “Growth” interpretation is no longer discussed among historians 点击空白处查看答案 ▼
白话版讲解： 问文章作者提到“emerging scholarship”是为了……？ A“描述一个观点，（有人）提出这个观点的目的是质疑Growth理论” 根据文章，“emerging scholarship”的观点是在1830年代，北方的废奴主义者（abolitionist）是想动员北方民众的，想为林肯在1860年赢得大选创造条件，但是他们并没有成功。所以认为“是北方的abolitionist的动员搞成了一个coalition的那个Growth of a Dissenting Minority理论”这种观点，错了。也就是说“emerging scholarship”的观点是反对Growth的，所以A选项正确。 B“展示Gerteis是怎样使用最近的研究来支持他对Growth理论的formulation” 文章没有提到，所以B错误。 C“解释Growth理论最开始是这样被发展出来的” 文章没有提到，所以C错误。 D“讨论一个和Growth理论非常相近的、关于19世纪北方的理论” 不是非常相近，所以D错误。 E“暗示历史学家们已经不再讨论Growth理论了” 文章没有提到，所以E 错误。

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