📖 原文
(1) The United States Constitution makes no provision for the nomination of candidates (2) for the presidency. As the framers of the Constitution set up the system, the electors (3) would, out of their own knowledge, select the "wisest and best" as President. But the (4) rise of political parties altered that system drastically - and with the change came the (5) need for nominations. (6) The first method that the parties developed to nominate presidential candidates was (7) the congressional caucus, a small group of members of Congress. That method was (8) regularly used in the elections of 1800 to 1824. But its closed character led to its (9) downfall in the mid-1820's. For the election of 1832, both major parties turned to the (10) national convention as their nominating device. It has continued to serve them ever (11) since. (12) With the convention process, the final selection of the President is, for all practical (13) purposes, narrowed to one of two persons: the Republican or the Democratic party (14) nominee. Yet there is almost no legal control of that vital process. (15) The Constitution is silent on the subject of presidential nominations. There is, as well, (16) almost no statutory law on the matter. The only provisions in federal law have to do (17) with the financing of conventions. And in each state there is only a small body of laws (18) that deal with issues related to the convention, such as the choosing of delegates and the (19) manner in which they may cast their votes. In short, the convention is very largely a (20) creation and a responsibility of the political parties themselves. (21) In both the Republican and Democratic parties, the national committee is charged with (22) making the plans and arrangements for the national convention. As much as a year (23) before it is held, the committee meets (usually in Washington, D.C.) to set the time and (24) place for the convention. July has been the favored month; but each party has met in (25) convention as early as mid-June and also as late as the latter part of August. (26) Where the convention is held is a matter of prime importance. There must be an (27) adequate convention hall, sufficient hotel accommodations, plentiful entertainment (28) outlets, and efficient transportation facilities.
❓ 试题解析
问题 1： Which of the following motivated a change in the original method of selecting a President of the United States?
A. The framers of the Constitution
B. The rise of the congressional caucus
C. The emergence of the party system
D. The establishment of national conventions
✅ 正确答案： C）The emergence of the party system
📝 解析： “But the rise of political parties altered that system drastically” — 政党的兴起改变了原初制度。
💡 解题技巧： 因果细节题定位“rise of political parties”。
问题 2： When was the congressional caucus used?
A. In the early 1800's
B. During the election of 1832
C. Throughout the nineteenth century
D. In several recent elections
✅ 正确答案： A）In the early 1800's
📝 解析： “regularly used in the elections of 1800 to 1824” — 1824年之前，即19世纪早期。
💡 解题技巧： 细节题定位时间区间。
问题 3： What can be inferred about why the congressional caucus system was terminated?
A. It was too expensive.
B. It took too much time.
C. It did not conform to the Constitution.
D. It did not include enough citizens.
✅ 正确答案： D）It did not include enough citizens.
📝 解析： “its closed character led to its downfall” — 封闭性（只限于国会议员小团体），不够民主。
💡 解题技巧： 推理题定位“closed character”。
问题 4： The word “them” in line 10 refers to
A. conventions
B. parties
C. elections
D. candidates
✅ 正确答案： B）parties
📝 解析： “both major parties turned to the national convention ... It has continued to serve them ever since” — them 指 parties。
💡 解题技巧： 代词题找前一个名词（parties）。
问题 5： The word “Yet” in line 13 indicates that what follows is
A. an unexpected fact
B. a personal observation
C. a list
D. an example
✅ 正确答案： A）an unexpected fact
📝 解析： “Yet” 表示转折，引出与前面预期相反的事实（选举最终只限于两人，但几乎没有法律控制）。
💡 解题技巧： 逻辑关系词题：yet = however = 转折/出乎意料。
问题 6： The word “vital” in line 13 is closest in meaning to
A. extremely important
B. always accessible
C. political
D. optional
✅ 正确答案： A）extremely important
📝 解析： “that vital process” — vital = 至关重要的。
💡 解题技巧： 词汇题：vital = crucial = extremely important。
问题 7： According to the passage, the only aspect of political conventions addressed by federal law involves
A. organization
B. choosing delegates
C. voting procedures
D. funding
✅ 正确答案： D）funding
📝 解析： “The only provisions in federal law have to do with the financing of conventions” — 资助。
💡 解题技巧： 细节题定位“only provisions”。
问题 8： In paragraph 4, the author compares
A. nominations and conventions
B. finances and the Constitution
C. delegates and candidates
D. federal and state laws
✅ 正确答案： D）federal and state laws
📝 解析： 第四段对比联邦法律（仅有finance）和州法律（选择代表、投票方式等）。
💡 解题技巧： 段落结构题找对比对象。
问题 9： The words “charged with” in lines 20-21 are closest in meaning to
A. responsible for
B. excited about
C. blamed for
D. in favor of
✅ 正确答案： A）responsible for
📝 解析： “the national committee is charged with making the plans” — charged with = 负责。
💡 解题技巧： 词汇题：charged with = responsible for = entrusted with。
问题 10： The passage refers to all of the following as necessary in the city where the convention is held EXCEPT
A. an acceptable meeting place
B. politically aware citizens
C. an easy way of traveling around the city
D. sufficient amusement opportunities
✅ 正确答案： B）politically aware citizens
📝 解析： 文中提到 adequate convention hall, sufficient hotel accommodations, plentiful entertainment outlets, efficient transportation facilities — 未提 politically aware citizens。
💡 解题技巧： “EXCEPT”题逐项核对最后一段列举的条件。
问题 11： Where in the passage does the author refer to the original method of selecting a president?
A. Lines 2-3
B. Lines 11-13
C. Lines 18-19
D. Lines 20-21
✅ 正确答案： A）Lines 2-3
📝 解析： “the electors would, out of their own knowledge, select the ‘wisest and best’ as President” — 原初选举方法。
💡 解题技巧： 定位题找“framers of the Constitution set up the system”。
🌐 中文翻译
美国宪法没有对总统候选人提名做出规定。正如宪法制定者所建立的制度，选举人应凭自己的了解，选择“最智慧最好”的人担任总统。但政党的兴起 drastically 地改变了这一制度——随着这一变化，产生了对提名的需求。 政党发展的第一个提名总统候选人的方法是国会核心小组（congressional caucus），一个由国会议员组成的小团体。该方法在1800年至1824年的选举中定期使用。但其封闭性导致其在19世纪20年代中期 downfall。在1832年选举中，两大政党都转向全国代表大会作为其提名机制。此后一直沿用至今。 通过全国代表大会 process，总统的最终选择在实际目的上被 narrowed 到两个人：共和党或民主党提名者。然而，几乎没有任何法律控制这一 vital process。 宪法对总统提名问题保持沉默。同样，几乎也没有 statutory law 涉及此事。联邦法律的唯一规定涉及 convention 的融资。在每个州，只有少量法律处理与 convention 相关的问题，如代表的选择以及他们投票的方式。简而言之，全国代表大会 largely 是政党自身的创造和责任。 在共和党和民主党中，全国委员会负责为国家 convention 制定计划和安排。在 convention 召开前多达一年，委员会开会（通常在华盛顿特区）确定 convention 的时间和地点。七月是最受欢迎的月份；但每个政党也曾在六月中旬那么早和八月下旬那么晚召开过 convention。 convention 的举行地点至关重要。必须有足够的 convention hall、充足的酒店住宿、丰富的娱乐场所和高效的交通设施。
🏷️ 标签：#托福阅读 #真题解析 #备考资料
