2017英语专八阅读100篇高级篇附答案解析（98）

2017英语专八阅读100篇高级篇附答案解析（98）

　　Between the eighth and eleventh centuries A. D., the Byzantine Empirestaged an almost unparalleled economic and cultural revival, a recovery that isall the more striking because it followed a long period of severe internaldecline. By the early eighth century, the empire had lost roughly two-thirds ofthe territory it had possessed in the year 600, and its remaining area wasbeing raided by Arabs and Bulgarians, who at times threatened to takeConstantinople and extinguished the empire altogether. The wealth of the stateand its subjects was greatly diminished, and artistic and literary productionhad virtually ceased. By the early eleventh century, however, the empire hadregained almost half of its lost possessions, its new frontiers were secure,and its influence extended far beyond its borders. The economy had recovered,the treasury was full, and art and scholarship had advanced.

　　To consider the Byzantine military, cultural, and economic advances asdifferentiated aspects of a single phenomenon is reasonable. After all, thesethree forms of progress have gone together in a number of states andcivilizations. Rome under Augustus and fifth-century Athens provide the mostobvious examples in antiquity. Moreover, an examination of the apparent sequentialconnections among military, economic, and cultural forms of progress might helpexplain the dynamics of historical change.

　　The common explanation of these apparent connections in the case ofByzantium would run like this: when the empire had turned back enemy raids onits own territory and had begun to raid and conquer enemy territory, Byzantineresources naturally expanded and more money became available to patronize artand literature. Therefore, Byzantine military achievements led to economicadvances, which in turn led to cultural revival.

　　No doubt this hypothetical pattern did apply at times during the courseof the recovery. Yet it is not clear that military advances invariably camefirst. Economic advances second, and intellectual advances third. In the 860’s the Byzantine Empire began torecover from Arab incursions so that by 872 the military balance with theAbbasid Caliphate had been permanently altered in the empire’s favor. The beginning of theempire’s economic revival, however, can be placed between 810 and 830. Finally,the Byzantine revival of learning appears to have begun even earlier. A numberof notable scholars and writers appeared by 788 and, by the last decade of theeighth century, a cultural revival was in full bloom, a revival that lasteduntil the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Thus the commonly expected order ofmilitary revival followed by economic and then by cultural recovery wasreversed in Byzantium. In fact, the revival of Byzantine learning may itselfhave influenced the subsequent economic and military expansion.

　　1. Which of the following best states the central idea of the text?

　　[A] The Byzantine Empire was a unique case in which the usual order ofmilitary and economic revival preceding cultural revival was reversed.

　　[B] The economic, cultural, and military revival in the Byzantine Empirebetween the eighth and eleventh centuries was similar in its order to thesequence of revival in Augustan Rome and fifth-century Athens.

　　[C] After 810 Byzantine economic recovery spurred a military and, later,cultural expansion that lasted until 1453.

　　[D] The revival of the Byzantine Empire between the eighth and eleventhcenturies shows cultural rebirth preceding economic and military revival, thereverse of the generally accepted sequence of progress.

　　2. It can be inferred from the text that the Byzantine Empire sustainedsignificant territorial losses

　　[A] in 600.

　　[B] during the seventh century.

　　[C] a century after the cultural achievements of the Byzantine Empire hadbeen lost.

　　[D] soon after the revival of Byzantine learning.

　　3. In the third paragraph, the author most probably provides anexplanation of the apparent connections among economic, military, and culturaldevelopment in order to

　　[A] suggest that the process of revival in Byzantium accords with thismodel.

　　[B] set up an order of events that is then shown to be not generallyapplicable to the case of Byzantium.

　　[C] cast aspersions on traditional historical scholarship aboutByzantium.

　　[D] suggest that Byzantium represents a case for which no historicalprecedent exists.

　　4. Which of the following does the author mention as crucial evidenceconcerning the manner in which the Byzantine revival began?

　　[A] The Byzantine military revival of the 860’s led to economic and culturaladvances.

　　[B] The Byzantine cultural revival lasted until 1453.

　　[C] The Byzantine economic recovery began in the 900’s.

　　[D] The revival of Byzantine learning began toward the end of the eighthcentury.

　　5. According to the author, “The common explanation” ofconnections between economic, military, and cultural development is

　　[A] revolutionary and too new to have been applied to the history of theByzantine Empire.

　　[B] reasonable, but an antiquated theory of the nature of progress.

　　[C] not applicable to the Byzantine revival as a whole, but does perhapsaccurately describe limited periods during the revival.

　　[D] equally applicable to the Byzantine case as a whole and to thehistory of military, economic, and cultural advances in ancient Greece andRome.

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