King Juan Carlos of Spain once insisted

免费题库2022-08-02  19

问题 King Juan Carlos of Spain once insisted kings don’t abdicate, they die in their sleep. But embarrassing scandals and the popularity of the republican left in the recent Euro-elections have forced him to eat his words and stand down. So, does the Spanish crisis suggest that monarchy is seeing its last days? Does that mean the writing is on the wall for all European royals, with their magnificent uniforms and majestic lifestyles? The Spanish case provides arguments both for and against monarchy when public opinion is particularly polarized, as it was following the end of the France regime, monarchs can rise above “mere” politics and “embody” a spirit of national unity. It is this apparent transcendence of politics that explains monarchs’ continuing popularity as heads of state. And also, the Middle East expected, Europe is the most monarch-infested region in the world, with 10 kingdoms not counting Vatican city and Andorra. But unlike their absolutist counterparts in the Gulf and Asia, most royal families have survived because they allow voters to avoid the difficult search for a non-controversial but respect public figure. Even so, kings and queens undoubtedly have a downside. Symbolic of national unity as they claim to be, their very history—and sometimes the way they behave today—embodies outdated and indefensible privileges and inequalities. At a time when Thomas Piketty and other economists are warning of rising inequality and the increasing power of inherited wealth, it is bizarre that wealthy aristocratic families should still be the symbolic heart of modern democratic states. The most successful monarchies strive to abandon or hide their old aristocratic ways. Princes and princesses have day-jobs and ride bicycles, not horses (or helicopters). Even so, these are wealthy families who party with the international 1%, and media intrusiveness makes it increasingly difficult to maintain the right image. While Europe’s monarchies will no doubt be smart enough to strive for some time to come, it is the British royals who have most to fear from the Spanish example. It is only the Queen who has preserved the monarchy’s reputation with her rather ordinary (if well-heeled) granny style. The danger will come with Charles, who has both an expensive taste of lifestyle and a pretty hierarchical view of the world. He has failed to understand that monarchies have largely survived because they provide a service—as non-controversial and non-political heads of state. Charles ought to know that as English history shows, it is kings, not republicans, who are the monarchy’s worst enemies.  The British royals “have most to fear” because Charles ______.A. takes a tough line on political issuesB. fails to change his lifestyle as advisedC. takes republicans as his potential alliesD. fails to adapt himself to his future role

选项 A. takes a tough line on political issues
B. fails to change his lifestyle as advised
C. takes republicans as his potential allies
D. fails to adapt himself to his future role

答案 D

解析 事实细节题。题干中关键词“have most of fear”来自第六段,最后一段就解释了原因,最后一段第二句“The danger will come with Charles, who has both an expensive taste of lifestyle and a pretty hierarchical view of the world.”,说明查尔斯奢侈的生活方式和等级观念是很危险的。接下来提到查尔斯的母亲——伊丽莎白二世女王“It is only the Queen who has preserved the monarchy reputation with her rather ordinary granny style.”。由此暗指作为皇室其他成员的查尔斯王子没有做到这一点。另外还提到查尔斯王子没有意识到君王的幸存很大程度上取决于君王提供了公共服务,他才是君主制的最大敌人,通过对比,意在说明查尔斯还没有做好成为未来的英国国王的准备,因此D项“fails to adapt himself to his future role”符合题意。其余三项在文章中并没有提及。
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