2. 外语
  3. Argentina (land of silver) was given its name by 16th-century explorers who believed the country was rich in silver mines. The h

Argentina (land of silver) was given its name by 16th-century explorers who believed the country was rich in silver mines. The h

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问题     Argentina (land of silver) was given its name by 16th-century explorers who believed the country was rich in silver mines. The hopes of the explorers soon vanished when they discovered that the beautiful silver ornaments (装饰品) worn by the Indians came from distant Peru. Though rich in many resources, the so-called land of silver proved relatively poor in minerals of any kind, but its descriptive name has endured.
    When people think of Argentina, the image that comes at once to mind is that of the Gaucho on his horse, riding across the treeless Pampa. The ability of the Gaucho to survive in a hostile land and his skill in mastering the horse and using the animal for his own purposes were extraordinary. Notable, too, were the Gaucho’s special features of character—indifference to material possessions combined with a natural warmth and friendliness. The skull of a cow often served him as a chair, but his strong instinct for hospitality led him to offer a stranger his hut with all the expansiveness of a great gentleman opening his manor (庄园) house. Mounted on his horse, the Gaucho felt himself lord of the world, free to go in any direction he pleased without being subjected to the will of any other person.
    The Gaucho became characteristic of the Argentine people. If at first his name conveyed the idea of a tramp (流浪汉) or wild rustic (乡巴佬), it soon came to indicate his positive qualities—his cleverness, fine horsemanship, bravery, loyalty, and generosity. The phrase "to be a gaucho" or "to be very gaucho" soon became phrases of good sense. Today the expression "to make a gauchada" means that one does a favor through friendship, with no thought of personal gain.
    The influence of the Gaucho and the impact of his way of life on the habits of future generations of Argentines cannot be overlooked. Many Argentine customs and traditions stem from the way of life of the people of the Pampa.
A gaucho can be best described as _____.
选项 A、a tramp
B、a rustic
C、a hunter
D、a cowboy
答案D
解析 推理判断题。从第2段第1句和第2句关于Gaucho的描写来看，他们的生活方式类似于美国“牛仔”，因此选项D正确。根据第3段第2句，选项A和B都是gaucho(高乔人)的名字过去给人的联想，并不是现在对gaucho最好的描述。选项C缺乏依据。
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