专业英语-专业八级分类模拟11

专业八级分类模拟READING COMPREHENSIONPassage 1The social organization of Egypt was distinguished by a surpri

专业八级分类模拟 READINGCOMPREHENSION Passage1 ThesocialorganizationofEgyptwasdistinguishedbyasurprisingdegreeoffluidity•Noinflexiblecaste systemeverdeveloped•Allmenwereequalinthesightofthelaw.Althoughdegreesofeconomic inequalitynaturallyexisted,noman'sstatuswasunalterablyfixed,unlesshewasamemberoftheroyal family.Evenserfsappeartohavebeencapableofrisingabovetheirhumblecondition.Freemenquite regularlymadethetransitionfromonesocialordertoanother. DuringthegreaterpartofthehistoryofEgyptthepopulationwasdividedintofiveclasses:the ；；； royalfamilythepriests;thenoblesthemiddleclassofscribes,merchants,artisans,andfarmers andtheserfs.DuringtheEmpireasixthclass,theprofessionalsoldiers,wasadded,rankingimmediately belowthenobles.Thousandsofslaveswerecapturedinthisperiodalso,andtheseformedforatimea seventhclass•Thepositionofthevariousranksofthesocietyshiftedfromtimetotime•Intheold kingdomthenoblesandpriestsamongallofthePharaoh*ssubjectsheldthesupremacy.Duringthe MiddleKingdomtheclassesofcommonerscameintotheirown.Scribes,merchants,artisans,andserfs rebelledagainstthenoblesandwrestedconcessionsfromthegovernment•Particularlyimpressiveisthe dominantroleplayedbythemerchantsandindustrialistsinthisperiod.TheestablishmentoftheEmpire accompanied,asitwasbytheextensionofgovernmentfunctions,resultedintheascendancyofnew nobility,madeupprimarilyofbureaucrats•Thepriestsalsowaxedinpowerwiththegrowthofmagic andsuperstition. ThegulfthatseparatedthestandardsoflivingoftheupperandlowerclassesofEgyptwas perhapsevenwiderthanitistodayinEuropeandAmerica.Thewealthynoblelivedinsplendidvillas thatopenedintofragrantgardensandshadygroves.Theirfoodhadalltherichnessandvarietyof sundrykindsofmeat,poultry,cakes,fruit,wine,beer,andsweets-Theyarefromvesselsofalabaster, gold,andsilver,andadornedtheirpersonswithexpensivefabricsandcostlyjewels.Bycontrast,thelife ofthepoorwaswretchedindeed.Thelaborsinthetownsinhabitedcongestedslumscomposedof mud-brickhovelswithroofsofthatch.Theironlyfurnishingswerestoolsandboxesandafewcrude potteryjars.Thepeasantsonthegreatestatesenjoyedalesscrowdedbutnomoreabundantlife• ThebasicsocialunitamongtheEgyptianswasthemonogamousfamily.Noman,noteventhe Pharaoh,couldhavemorethanonelawfulwife.Concubinage,however,wasasociallyreputable institution.Womenoccupiedanunusuallyenviablestatus•Wiveswerenotsecluded,andthereisno recordofanydivorce•Womencouldownandinheritpropertyandengageinbusiness.Almostalong amongOrientalpeoplestheEgyptianspermittedwomentosucceedtothethrone.Jknother extraordinarysocialpracticewascloseinbreeding.Therulerassonofthegreatsungodwasrequiredto marryhissisterorsomeotherfemaleofhisimmediatefamilylestthedivinebloodbecontaminated. Thereisevidencethatmanyofhissubjectsfollowedtheidenticalcustom.Asyet,historianshavebeen unabletodiscoveranypositivetracesofracialdegenerationproducesbythispractice,probablyforthe reasonthattheEgyptianstockwasgeneticallysoundtobeginwith. Theeducationalsystemofthisancientpeoplewasaboutwhatonewouldexpectinahighly integratedsociety•Attachedtothetreasurywereanumberofpublicschoolsequippedforthetraining ofthethousandsofscribeswhoseservicewerenecessaryinthekeepingofrecordsandaccountsandin theadministrationofgovernmentfunctions.Manyofthemwerealsoemployedinaprivatecapacityby theownersofthelandedestatesandbytheleadersofthebusinessworld.Admissiontotheseschools wasopentoanypromisingyouthregardlessofclass.Apparentlyinstructionwasprovidedfreeofcharge bythegovernmentbecauseofthevitalneedfortrainedmen.Nonebutthoroughlyutilitariansubjects ； hadanyplaceinthecurriculumthepurposewasnoteducationinthebroadersense,butpractical training.Inspiteoftheir