15篇文章貫通大學(xué)英語四級CET4詞匯第10篇CanadaBecomesaNationBeforeCanadabecameanationin1867,theareaofNorthAmericathatnowcomposesCanadawasalargeexpanseofwidelyscatteredcommunitiesofBritishandFrenchorigins.ItwasanareawithdiverselandscapesthatphysicallydividedthemfromthenorthoftheUnitedStates.Therewaslittleconnectionamongcommunitiespoliticallyoreconomically.ThesecoloniesofBritishNorthAmericatraditionallytradedwithBritainandwiththeUnitedStates,verylittleamongthemselves.Thesecoloniesevenhadcustomsdutiesthat,tosomeextent,restrictedsuchtrade.Inthemid1800s,importanteventsandchangestookplace.Britainrepealed（廢除,撤車肖）theCornLawsandNavigationsActs,whichhadbeeneconomicallybeneficialtothecoloniesatthesamerateitappliedtoallothertradingcountries,asituationtowhichthecolonieshadneverbeenaccustomed.From1861to1864,Americanswereinvolvedinamajorcivilwar.BritainhadtraditionaleconomictieswiththesouthernpartoftheUnitedStatesthatprovidedcottontoBritishmarkets.Inthemeantime,sincethewarwasessentiallybetweentheNorthandtheSouth,theNorthresentedBritain,sconnectionwiththeSouth.Inaddition,duringthelastyear（1864）oftheAmericanCivilWar,theAmericanGovernmentofthedominantandultimatelyvictoriousNorth,refusedtorenewaten-yearfreetradeagreementwithUnitedCanada,thelargeBritishcolonyinthecentralpartofBritishNorthAmerica.Thesearbitraryeventsbroughtconcernandevenfeartothesecolonies.Withthelossoftraditionaltradingarrangementsandtheendofthecivilwar,theNorthbeingvictorious,thecolonistsfearedthattheAmericansmightturnontheBritishcoloniesinretaliation（報復(fù)，報仇）forBritain'smoralsupportfortheSouth.Theneedfornewmarkets,andasoliddefensesystemfrompotentialinvasionbytheUnitedStates,broughtanacuteawarenesstothesediversecoloniesthattheyshouldlooktoeachotherforresolutionstotheseproblems.Theyfeltuneasytryingtocopeagainsttheseadversities（逆境，苦難）ontheirown.SirJohnA.MacdonaldfromUnitedCanada,thedominantpersonalityatthistime,alsosawtheaccelerationofAmericansettlersmovingnorthandspreadingthroughouttheflatprairie（大草原）landstothewest.Thiswouldpotentially（潛在的）putawallbetweenthecoloniesintheEastandthelonelywesternBritishcolonyinwhatistodaypartofBritishColumbiaonthewestcoastofNorthAmerica.Macdonaldfeltthatthesituationwasurgent.Inthesummerof1864,themaritimecoloniesofNovaScotia,PrinceEdwardIsland,andNewfoundlandscheduledameetingtodiscussthepossibilityofacustomsunionorfreetradeareatocompensateforthelatestsetbacks（挫折，失?。﹊ntraderelationswithBritainandtheUnitedStates.MacdonaldmanagedtogetpermissionforsomedelegatesfromUnitedCanadatoattendasobservers.Foranumberofyears,UnitedCanadawasexperiencingproblemsofpoliticaldeadlock（僵局）.CanadaWestwaspredominantly（主要地）English-speakingCanadaEastwaspredominantlyFrench-speaking.Acentralgovernment,setupin1841,requiredamajorityfrombothCanadaWestandCanadaEastforalllegislationtobecomelaw.Itwasverydifficulttopasssignificantlegislationwhentwoopposingviewswereconstantlybeingdebatedandlegislativebillswereconstantlybeingdefeated.TheCanadianssawanew,widerunion,apotentialnewnationalinstitutionorcentralgovernment,asapossiblesolutionforbreakingoutofthisconstantpoliticaldisorder.TheCanadiandelegatessailedonboardacruiseshipdowntheSt.LawrenceRiver,intotheGulfofSt.Lawrence,toCharlottetownonPrinceEdwardIsland.ThisconventionexpandedtodiscussionsofthepossibilityofalltheBritishcoloniesunitingintoonenation.AftermuchcomplicateddebateatanotherconventioninQuebecCitythatsameyear,thedelegatesubmittedadraftofanagreementfortheformationofthedominionofCanada.Thebulkoftheworkhadbeendonebyagroupofmenofseeminglyhighvirtue,whobecameknowinhistoryas“theFathersofConfederation（聯(lián)邦）”.UnitedCanadawasdividedintotheprovincesofOntarioandQuebec.SomeallowancesweregiventoQuebecbecauseitwasapredominantlyFrench-speakingCatholicprovinceandhadspecialneeds,unlikeotherprovinces.ThecolonyofNovaScotiawasdividedintoNovaScotiaandNewBrunswick.Thesefourprovincesformedtheoriginalnewnation.Aflexibleapproach,inlateryears,persuadedothercoloniestojoin.Afederalsystem,withpowersdistributedbetweenthecentralandprovincialgovernments,wascreated.Theprovinceswereassignedpowerstohavetheirowngovernmentstodealwithmorelocalorprovincialissues,thefederalsystemwouldpromoteharmonyamongprovinces,withdifferentperspectivesonnationhood.Thiswasacompromise,sothatthebiggerprovincesofOntarioandQuebecwouldn'tcoiejbyLdominatethesmallerprovinces.ThecountrywastobecalledtheDominionofCanada,butwouldstillremainloyaltoBritainasamemberoftheBritishEmpire.ThenewlegislationthatcreatedCanadawasaBritishactofParliamentcalled“TheBritishNorthAmericaActsof1867”.CanadaofficiallybecameanationonJuly1st,1867.Thiswouldbetheanniversaryoccasioneachyear,forjoyouscelebrationofanationalholidaycommemoration（紀(jì)念，慶祝）thebirthofCanada.Thedevelopmentofthecountry,asweknowittoday,wasanevolutionary（進(jìn)化的，演變的）processovermorethaneightdecades.ManitobabecameaprovinceaftersomecontroversialeventsinvolvingthefederalgovernmentandtheMetis,French-speakingdescendantsofFrenchfurtraderswhomarriedAmericanIndiangirls.Thisethnic（人種的，種族的）groupsettlednearFortGary,thecityofWinnipeg,Manitobawhatiscalledtoday.JohnA.Macdonald,thenewandfirstPrimeMinisterofthenewnation,madeadealwiththewestern-mostcolonyinVancouverguaranteeingonthebuildingofarailroadfromtheeasttothewestifthatcolonywouldjoinCanadianConfederation.ThepropertyoftheMetis,towhichtheletterfeltlegallyentitled,wasinthepathofthenewrailway.Thefederalgovernmentessentiallytooktheland.TheMetiswerecompelledtomovefurtherwest,butnotwithoutafight.（TheMetisandthefederalgovernmentwereonaninevitable無法避免的）collisioncourse.Twice,Metisrevoltsrestedthemight（權(quán)力，威力）ofthefederalgovernmentandrelationshipbetweenFrench-andEnglish-speakinginCanada）.ThefederalgovernmentwasabletodefeattheMetisinbothclashes.LouisRiel,theleaderoftheMetiswashangedfortreason（叛國,謀反）in1885forhisleadingroleinresistingthefederalgovernment.HebecameamartyrtoFrench-Canadians.Hisdeathonlyaddedfueltothegrowingdiscontent（不滿意）betweenFrenchandEnglishCanada.Throughoutthiswholeperiod,1869to1885,thefederal（orcentral）governmentignoredtheappealsoftheMetis.Itappearedthat,accordingtoMacdonaldandhisfollowers,thecreationofthenewnationwasmoreimportantthanrelievingtheplight（困境）ofarelativelysmallminoritygroup.TheMetisprobablydeservedmuchbetterofthefederalgovernment.DifferentversionsoftheseeventsarestilldebatedinCanadianclassroomstoday.Macdonaldwasalsocriticizedforconcealingthefactthathetooksomemoneyillegallytocompletetherailway.In1873as“ThePacificScandal”becameknown,theconstructionoftherailwaysuspendedtemporarily.ThedeterminedMacdonaldandhisgovernment,obsessed（擔(dān)心，困擾）bythepossibilityoftheAmericansmovinginandtakingoverthewest,boldlypushedrailwayconstructiontocompletion.Manitobabecameaprovincein1870,BritishColumbiain1871,PrinceEdwardIslandin1873,AlbertaandSaskatchewanin1905.TheadmissionofNewfoundlandintoConfederationin1948completedtheCanadianConfederationoftenprovincesfromseatosea,astheyexisttoday.Therailway,theCanadianPacificRailway（CPR）wascompletedbeforetheagreeddeadline.Canada'sbecominganationwasnotaneasyroad.Canada'sremaininganationhasperhapsbeenanevenharderroad.Thereweremanychallengesfacingitoverthefirstonehundredormoreyears.Themostseriouschallengehasbeen,andstillis,stayingtogetherasacountry.RelationsbetweenFrench-speakingandEnglish-speakingCanadahavebeendifficulttoimprove.Thispersistent（持續(xù)存在的）themeinCanadianhistorybeganwiththedefeatofNewFrancebyBritainduringtheSevenYearsWarfrom1756to1763（ortheFrench-IndianWar,asitwasknowninNorthAmerica）.Inthelasttwentyyears,referenda（普通投票）heldinQuebecforpossibleseparationfromCanada,werenarrowlydefeated.Thischallengestillliesahead.Sofar,thecountryhasremainedstrong,andhastraditionallyplayedasignificantroleininternationalaffairs.Canadahasmuchpromiseforthe21stcentury.Itwillneedtofindcreativediplomaticstrategiestokeeptheinternalrumblings（摩擦聲，隆隆聲）beneaththesurfacefromexplodingintoself-destruction.Itwillneedtofindawaytofulfillthedreamsof“theFathersofConfederation”ofsomanyyearsago.AgoodguessisthattheoddsareinfavorofCanadaachievingthosedreamsandtrulybecomingthenationthatwasoriginallyintended.15篇文章貫通大學(xué)英語四級CET4詞匯第9篇APrefacetoMurderSometimestruthisstrangerthanfiction.Sometimeslifedealsabadhand.Sometimesitishardtogoon.Sometimeseviltriumphsovergood.Nancysighedheavilyasshepulledherdaughter'sdiaryfromthedrawer.Sheleanedforwardtoexaminethefamiliarwriting.Apostcardwithacoloredsketchfellontothefloorfromthebookthedrawingwasapictureofalongcurvedsandybeachonatropicalisland;ofcourseitwouldbeMontserrat.Shefeltclumsyassheknelttoretrieve（取回,收回）thepicture.UndernocircumstancescouldsheforgiveorforgetthecriminalswhotorturedherbeautifulMegan.Itwasdifficultnottofeelbitterabouttheeventsoftheprecedingyear.Shehadshedsomanytearsinthepastyearsinceherdaughter,smurder.Nancyrecognizedthatshewassufferingfrompsychologicalproblemsandhadreallybecomeindifferenttotheeventsinherdailylife.Shebegantoshakeandthentoweep.Whenwouldtherebeananswertothisdamnnightmare?Meganhadattendedsecondaryschoolataprivategirls'schoolfivehundredkilometersfromhome.InjuniorschoolshehadbeenastraightAstudent.Nowinhighschoolshecontinuedtostudyhard,playsports,jointheschoolorchestra,plusavarietyofschoolclubs.Asajoke,herfriendslabeledheragenius,oftenjusttomakeherangry.Aswellasbeingahighacademicachievershehadagreatcapacityforfun.Shethrivedonanactivesociallife.Slender,prettyandvivacious（活潑開朗的）,shewastheappleofherparents’eye.Everyyearinaccordancewithschoolpolicy,astudentcandidatewaschosentotravelandliveinanothercommonwealth（聯(lián)邦）countryforsixmonths.AsMeganhadaninterestinadiplomaticcareeraftercompletinguniversity,shefigureshewouldbeconsideredaprimeapplicantifsheappliedfortheposition.Adetailedessaywasnecessarytoprovidethecommitteewithaclearideaofherintention.Theselectioncommitteewouldspendafortnightreviewingtheapplicationsinanattempttoidentifytheidealstudent.Meganalsoneededtoundergoarigorouspersonalinterview,whichwouldvalidate（驗證）heracademicbackgroundandevaluatehergeneralbehavior.Theinterviewprecededwell,Megantakingtheinitiativetounderlineherstrengths.Afterschoolsomeofherfriendsgatheredforcoffeeinthecafeneartheschool.TheyconfessedtoMeganthattheywereratherenviousoftheopportunityshemighthavetoliveinanothercountry.Theyenquiredaboutthedetailsoftheinterview.TwoweekslaterMeganreceivedaphonecallnotifyingherofthesuccessfulresultsoftheinterview.HerparentswereslightlynervousexperiencingsomenegativefeelingsaboutMeganleavingthesafetyofhometoliveinanothercountry.Theyknewtheexperiencewouldbroadenherhorizonshowever,herdestination,Montserrat,withinthepastyearhadahugevolcanoerupt（噴發(fā)）,disrupting（使中斷,擾亂）people’slives.Unstableconditions,lossofhomesandfearofmoreeruptionsalltendedtobreedtroubleamongthepooroftheisland.Herparents'concernswereforMegan'ssafety.Departuredaydawnedclearandbright.Farewellsweremadetofamilyandfriendsandshewasofffortheadventureofalifetime.Megan'sarrivalonMontserratwasbothwelcomingandinitiallyuneventful平靜無事的）.Theislandfamilywhereshewastoliveforthenextsixmonths,madeherfeelsrightathome.Asthepaceoflifeontheislandwasmorerelaxedthatathome,shewasveryhappy.Hernewschoolmatesincludedherintheirlivesandsheadaptedquickly.Swimminginthewarmoceanwater,andsittingunderneathwavingpalmtreesinamildclimate,wasapleasantchangefromthecoldnorthernwinters.OneSaturdayeveningagangofkidspiledintoataxi,headingoffforabarbecue（戶夕卜烤肉餐）onthebeach.Someofthegirlsdecidedtowalkalongthebeach.Meganjoinedthem,laggingslightlybehind.Sheknewsheoughttohurrytocatchupbutthemoistsandfeltgoodunderherfeet.Waterlappedathertoes;thetidewascomingin.thevioletlightofduskbegantodarkenthesky.Inthegrowingdarknessavanpulledalongsideher,stoppingwithasqueal（尖銳的聲音）ofbrakes.Beforesheknewwhatwashappeningtwomaskedmenleaptoutofthecarandbegantochaseher,grabbingherandfinallythrowinghertotheground.Thegrossattackthatfollowedwasbrutalandunexplainable.InitiallyMegantriedtofightoffherattackersbyclawingattheirfaceswithhernails.Usingacoilofropetobindherhands,themenwerefreetoproceed.Firstafistbrokeherupperjawleavingherunconscious.Thenthehoodlums（無賴,流氓）usedametalrodtocrushMegan'sskull（頭顱）andfinallyaknifebladepenetratedherneckpiercinganartery（動脈）.Afterthecrudeactwascompletedherbodywasbundledintothebackofacabanddiscardedinaditchinanisolateddistrictfarfromthebeach.RealizingthatMeganhaddisappeared,herfriendsdialedanemergencynumber,notifyingtheauthoritiesofthesituation.OnceMegan'sbodywasdiscovered,awarrant通緝令）wasissuedfortheimmediatearrestofthetwowantedmen.Megan’sparentswerenotifiedbytheembassy.Theyinturnretainedlegalcounselandanintenseinquirybeganintothecase.Thoseofficialswithanintimateknowledgeoftheislandfeltthatthemuggingwasacaseofmistakenidentificationandacompletemisunderstanding誤解），amisguidedoutletformountingfrustrationsontheisland.Megan'sparents,NancyandDon,cancelledalltheirimmediateplansandflewtotheisland.Ratherthanwaitforthesmallislandshiptotransportthemtotheislandtheywereflowninbyhelicopter.Afterhiringalawyerasanadvocatefortheircause（案件程序）,theybegantoworkwiththelocalpolicetrackingdownanyangleofthecasethatwouldbringthesecreepsfirsttocourtandthentotrialbeforeajury,whointurnwouldconvictthemtolengthyjailsentences.Asthedaysslippedbywithoutanyanswers,theyexperiencedsevereemotionalfatigueandlifebecamealivinghell.Theinvestigationseemedtolagatfirst,buttheywerereluctanttointerfere.Theinitialreportsfromthismesswereinconclusive;manyofthedetailsnotbeingaddressed.AspayingclientstheylodgedacomplaintwiththeGovernoroftheisland.Afterseveralmonthspassed,theauthoritieshadafrankdiscussionwithMegan,sparentsstatingthataseachdaypassedtheywerelessandlessliabletosolvethemurder.TheycitedotherexamplesofunsolvedcasesandencouragedNancyandDontoreturnhome.Feelingbothannoyedandfrustrated,theydecidedtheyhaddonealltheycouldhereforthemoment.Onceathomeagain,Nancywithdrewfromcommunitylifechoosingtospendhertimealone.Thesedays,ifyouwentlooking,youcouldoftenfindDoninalocalpubhavingapintortwoofbeer.He,too,isunabletocometotermswiththesequenceofeventsthattorehisfamilyapartthisyear.JustthinkingaboutMeganbringsalumptohisthroatandmakeshisheadspin.Astimepassed,itwasbecomingmoreandmoreevidentthatthestackofpaperworkpertaining（與?一有關(guān)系的）tohisdaughter'scasewasnotgoingtoprovideanyanswersimmediately,ifever.Tipsprovidedbythepublicprovedtoleadnowhere.Therecordswillremainopenuntilthecaseissolved,howeverforthemomentthenaturalrhythmoflifehasbeendestroyed.Canafamilywithstandsuchatragedy?Onlytimewilltell.謀殺端倪有時，事實(shí)比小說還離奇。生活有時候使人無助，有時又讓人難以為繼。有時，邪惡還戰(zhàn)勝了正義。南希深深地嘆了口氣，從抽屜里取出女兒的日記。她身體前傾，仔細(xì)地看著那熟悉的筆跡。一張彩色素描明信片從杯子里掉落下來。畫面上是一個熱帶島嶼上一處蜿蜒的沙灘美景。自然，那就是蒙特塞拉特島。在她屈膝去揀明信片時，她感到手腳有些不聽使喚了。她決不會饒恕或忘記那些殘害她美麗的梅根的兇手。一想到一年前發(fā)生的不幸，南希就禁不住感到痛苦。她抓起一張面巾紙，擦去眼中的淚水。女兒被害后的這一年中，她不知道流了多少眼淚。南希知道自己患上了心理障礙，她確實(shí)變得對日常生活中的事情漠不關(guān)心了。她身體開始顫抖，接著抽泣起來。這該死的噩夢何時才會一個答案呢？梅根在離家500公里的一所私