Nothing divided themedievalworld in Europe more decisively from the Early Modern period than printing with movable type. It was a German invention and theculminationof acomplexprocess. The world ofantiquityhad recorded its writings mainly onpapyrus. Between 200 B.C and A.D 300,thiswas supplemented byvellum, calf skin treated and then smoothed by pumice stone. To this in late Roman times was addedparchment, similarly made from the smoothed skin of sheep or goats. In the early Middle Ages, Europe imported anindustrialprocessfrom China, which turned almost any kind offibrousmaterialintopulpthat was thenspreadin sheets. This was known as clothparchment. By about 1150, the Spanish had developed the firstmillfor making cheap paper (a word contracted from "papyrus", which became thestandardterm). One of the most important phenomena of the later Middle Ages was the growingavailabilityof cheap paper. Evenin England, where technology lagged far behind, a sheet of paper, or eight octavo pages,costonly a penny by the fifteenth century.

In the years 1446-1448, two German goldsmiths, Johannes Gutenberg and Johann Fust, made use of cheap paper to introduce acriticalimprovement in the way written pages were reproduced. Printing from wooden blocks was the oldmethod; what the Germans did was to invent movable type for the letterpress. It had three merits: it could be used repeatedly until worn out; it wascastin metal from amoldand so could berenewedwithout difficulty; and it made letteringuniform. In 1450, Gutenberg began work on his Bible, the first printed book, known as the Gutenberg. It was completed in 1455 and is amarvel. As Gutenberg, apart from getting the key idea, had to solve a lot ofpracticalproblems, including imposing paper and ink into theprocessand the actual printing itself, for which he adapted the screwpressused by winemakers, it is amazing that his first product does not look at allrudimentary. Those whohandleit are struck by its clarity andquality.

Printing was one of thosetechnicalrevolutions that developed its ownmomentumatextraordinaryspeed. Europe in the fifteenth century was a place whereintermediatetechnology - that is, workshops with skilled craftspeople - was well established and spreading fast, especially in Germany and Italy. Such workshops were able to take on printing easily, and it thus became Europe's first trueindustry. Theprocesswas aided by two factors: the new demand for cheapclassicaltexts and the translation of theLatinBible into "modern" languages. Works ofreferencewere also in demand. Presses sprang up in several German cities, and by 1470, Nuremberg, Germany had established itself as the center of the international publishingtrade, printing books from 24 presses and distributing them attradefairs all over western and central Europe. The old monastic scriptoria-monastery workshops where monks copied texts by hand-worked closely alongside the new presses, continuing to produce theluxurygoods that movable-type printing could not yetsupply. Printing, however, wasprimarilyaimed at a cheapmasssale.

Although there was no competition between the technologies, there wasrivalrybetween nations. The Italians madeenergeticand successful efforts to catch up with Germany. Their most successfulscriptoriumquickly imported twoleadingGerman printers to set up presses in their book-producing shop. German printers had thedisadvantageof working with thecomplextypeface that the Italians sneeringly referred to as "Gothic" and that later became known as black letter. Outside Germany, readers found this typeface disagreeable. The Italians, on the other hand, had acleartypeface known as roman that became the type of the future.

Hence, although the Germans made use of the paperrevolutionto introduce movable type, the Italians went far to regain theinitiativeby their artistry. By 1500 there were printing firms in 60 German cities, but there were 150 presses in Venice alone. However, since many nations and governments wanted their own presses, thetradequickly became international. Thecumulativeimpactof thisindustrialspreadwasspectacular. Before printing, only the very largest libraries, of which there were adozenin Europe, had as many as 600 books. The total number of books on the entireContinentwas well under 100,000. But by 1500, after only 45 years of the printed book, there were 9 million incirculation.

Questions:
question_stem: The word "this" in the passage refers to
choices: tag: A
text: parchment

tag: B
text: pumice stone

tag: C
text: calf skin

tag: D
text: papyrus
answer_key: D
explanation: 【题目翻译】：文中“this”一词指的是
A：羊皮纸
B：浮石
C：小牛皮
D：纸莎草纸

【判定题型】：根据题干中出现的关键词“refer to”，判定本题为指代题。

【关键词定位】：根据题干中的关键词“this”，找到该词所在的整句句子，以及上下文相关的句子“Between 200 B.C and A.D 300, this was supplemented by vellum, calf skin treated and then smoothed by pumice stone.”。

【分析句子语法】：看 this 所在的语境，往前看一句，就可以判定指 papyrus。

【选项分析】：
A 选项：羊皮纸，与文中所指内容不符，故排除。
B 选项：浮石，与文中所指内容不符，故排除。
C 选项：小牛皮，与文中所指内容不符，故排除。
D 选项：纸莎草纸，根据语境，可以判定 this 所指的就是 papyrus，故正确。

question_stem: The word "contracted" in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: translated

tag: B
text: invented

tag: C
text: shortened

tag: D
text: borrowed
answer_key: C
explanation: 【题目翻译】：
文中“contracted”一词的意思最接近于
 A：被翻译的
 B：被发明的
 C：被缩短的
 D：被借入的

【判定题型】：题目要求选出与高亮单词意思最接近的选项，故判断本题为词汇题。

【关键词定位】：
根据关键词“contracted”,定位到原句“ By about 1150, the Spanish had developed the first mill for making cheap paper (a word contracted from "papyrus", which became the standard term)”

【词汇解析】：
词汇“contracted”的意思是“收缩的”,带入到原句中，原句的意思是“到1150年左右，西班牙人发明了第一家制造廉价纸张的工厂(这个词是从后来成为标准术语的“莎草纸”缩写而来)。”


【选项分析】：
A 选项“translated”意思是“被翻译的”，意思不符，故排除。
B 选项“invented”意思是“被发明的”，意思不符，故排除。
C 选项“shortened”意思是“被缩短的”，意思最接近，故为正确答案。
D 选项“borrowed”意思是“被借入的”，意思不符，故排除。

question_stem: The word "phenomena" in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: traditions

tag: B
text: occurrences

tag: C
text: perceptions

tag: D
text: consequences
answer_key: B
explanation: 【题目翻译】：文章中“phenomena”一词的意思最接近于下列哪个选项？
 A：传统
 B：事件; 发生的事
 C：知觉; 觉察
 D：结果，成果

【判定题型】：题目要求选出与高亮单词意思最接近的选项，故判断本题为词汇题。

【关键词定位】：
根据关键词“phenomena”,定位到原句“ One of the most important phenomena of the later Middle Ages was the growing availability of cheap paper.”

【词汇解析】：
词汇“phenomena”的意思是“现象”,带入到原句中，原句的意思是“中世纪晚期最重要的现象之一是廉价纸张的日益普及。”

【选项分析】：
A 选项“traditions”意思是“传统”，意思不符，故排除。
B 选项“occurrences”意思是“事件; 发生的事”，意思最接近，故为正确答案。
C 选项“perceptions”意思是“知觉; 觉察”，意思不符，故排除。
D 选项“consequences”意思是“结果，成果”，意思不符，故排除。

question_stem: According to paragraph 2, all of the following were advantages of movable metal type EXCEPT
choices: tag: A
text: It could be reused

tag: B
text: It made letters of standardized size

tag: C
text: It did not require specialized skill to use

tag: D
text: It could easily be restored from a mold
answer_key: C
explanation: 【题目翻译】：根据第2段，除了可移动金属类型的优点外，以下都是可移动金属类型的优点除了哪个选项？
A：可以重复使用
B：它使字母的大小标准化
C：它不需要专门的技能来使用
D：它很容易从模子里复原

【判定题型】：根据题干中出现的大写“EXCEPT”，可以判定本题为否定事实信息题，需要找出与原文信息不符的那个答案。

【关键词定位】：根据题干中的 advantages of movable metal type 定位到 It had three merits... 这句话 。

【选项分析】：
A：It could be reused  对应 it could be used repeatedly，排除。
B：It made letters of standardized size 对应 it made lettering uniform（一样的; 规格一致的），排除。 
C：advantages of movable metal type 定位到 It had three merits... ，与选项提及内容相符，故选 C 选项。
D：It could easily be restored from a mold 对应 cast in metal from a mold and so could be renewed，排除。

question_stem: The word "rudimentary" in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: primitive

tag: B
text: decorative

tag: C
text: practical

tag: D
text: complicated
answer_key: A
explanation: 【题目翻译】：这篇文章中“rudimentary”一词的意思最接近于
 A：原始的; 发展水平低的
 B：装饰的
 C：实际的
 D：结构复杂的

【判定题型】：题目要求选出与高亮单词意思最接近的选项，故判断本题为词汇题。

【关键词定位】：
根据关键词“rudimentary ”,定位到原句“ As Gutenberg, apart from getting the key idea, had to solve a lot of practical problems, including imposing paper and ink into the process and the actual printing itself, for which he adapted the screw press used by winemakers, it is amazing that his first product does not look at all rudimentary.”

【词汇解析】：
词汇“rudimentary”的意思是“基本的，初步的”,带入到原句中，原句的意思是“古腾堡,除了获得的关键理念,必须解决很多实际问题,包括设置纸张和油墨的过程和实际印刷本身,他适应使用的螺旋压力机酿酒师,令人意外的是,他的第一个产品看起来不简陋。”

【选项分析】：
A 选项“primitive”意思是“原始的; 发展水平低的”，意思最接近，故为正确答案。
B 选项“decorative”意思是“装饰的”，意思不符，故排除。
C 选项“practical”意思是“实际的”，意思不符，故排除。
D 选项“complicated”意思是“结构复杂的”，意思不符，故排除。

question_stem: In mentioning the screw press, the author is indicating that
choices: tag: A
text: gutenberg worked as a winemaker before inventing movable type

tag: B
text: the printing industry faced more practical problems than other industry did

tag: C
text: the printing and wine-making industries independently developed the same device

tag: D
text: gutenberg used a device from an unrelated industry in his printing process
answer_key: D
explanation: 【题目翻译】：在提到螺旋压力机时，作者的意思是
A：古腾堡在发明活字之前是一个酿酒师
B：印刷业面临的实际问题比其他行业要多
C：印刷业和酿酒业独立开发了这种装置
D：古登堡在印刷过程中使用了一种与之无关的工业设备

【判定题型】：根据题干中出现的关键词“indicat”，判定本题为推理题。

【关键词定位】：根据 screw press 定位到句子，原句为“ As Gutenberg, apart from getting the key idea, had to solve a lot of practical problems, including imposing paper and ink into the process and the actual printing itself, for which he adapted the screw press used by winemakers, it is amazing that his first product does not look at all rudimentary.”

【逻辑分析】：选项 D 所表达的意思与原文相符

【选项分析】：
A：古腾堡在发明活字之前是一个酿酒师，与文中表达的意思不符，故排除。
B：印刷业面临的实际问题比其他行业要多，与文中表达的意思不符，故排除。
C：印刷业和酿酒业独立开发了这种装置，与文中表达的意思不符，故排除。
D：根据 screw press 定位到句子，分析意思 As Gutenberg, apart from getting the key idea, had to solve a lot of practical problems, including imposing paper and ink into the process and the actual printing itself, for which he adapted the screw press used by winemakers，Gutenberg 必须解决许多实际问题，包括...和他改编了葡萄酒生产者使用的 screw press，综合选项，D 最符合。

question_stem: According to the passage, the role of the monastic scriptoria was to
choices: tag: A
text: translate old religious texts into modern languages

tag: B
text: turn books printed at the new presses into luxury items

tag: C
text: produce reference works solely for religious use

tag: D
text: create books of a quality that was beyond the means of the printing industry
answer_key: D
explanation: 【题目翻译】：根据这篇文章，修道院的抄写员的角色是
A:把古老的宗教文本翻译成现代语言
B:把新印刷机印刷的书变成奢侈品
C:制作只供宗教用途的参考作品
D:创作出印刷行业无法企及的书籍

【判定题型】：题目问的是文章中的具体细节信息，故根据题目问法可以判断本题为事实信息题。

【关键词定位】：根据题干中的 monastic scriptoria 定位到第3段倒数第2句，原句为“The old monastic scriptoria-monastery workshops where monks copied texts by hand-worked closely alongside the new presses, continuing to produce the luxury goods that movable-type printing could not yet supply”，意思是“古老的僧侣抄写室——修道院里的作坊，僧侣们在新印刷机旁手工抄写经文，继续生产活字印刷还不能提供的奢侈品”。

【逻辑分析】：选项 D 与原文所表达的意思一致。

【选项分析】：
A：把古老的宗教文本翻译成现代语言，与文意不符，故排除。
B：把新印刷机印刷的书变成奢侈品，与文意不符，故排除。
C：制作只供宗教用途的参考作品，与文意不符，故排除。
D：选项中的 a quality that was beyond the means of the printing industry 对应 produce the luxury goods that movable-type printing could not yet supply，所以选 D。

question_stem: According to paragraph 3, for whom were printed books mainly produced?
choices: tag: A
text: Scholars of language and religion

tag: B
text: Buyers who could not afford to purchase hand-copied texts

tag: C
text: Artists and craftspeople

tag: D
text: Monks living in monasteries
answer_key: B
explanation: 【题目翻译】：根据第3段，印刷书籍主要为谁生产?
A:语言和宗教学者
B:买不起手抄本的买主
C:艺术家和工匠
D:住在修道院的僧侣

【判定题型】：题目问的是文章中的具体细节信息，故根据题目问法可以判断本题为事实信息题。

【关键词定位】：根据题干中的 printed books mainly produced 定位到第3段最后1句，原句为“Printing, however, was primarily aimed at a cheap mass sale.
”，意思是“然而，印刷术的主要目的是廉价的大规模销售”。

【逻辑分析】：选项 B 与原文所表达的意思一致。

【选项分析】：
A：语言和宗教学者，与文意不符，故排除。
B：买不起手抄本的买主，文中提及的是廉价的大规模销售，所以意义相符，故选项 B 正确。
C：艺术家和工匠，与文意不符，故排除。
D：住在修道院的僧侣，与文意不符，故排除。

question_stem: Why does the author mention 24 presses in the discussion?
choices: tag: A
text: To indicate the extent to which the printing industry had grown in Germany

tag: B
text: To emphasize those printing presses far outnumbered monastic scriptoria

tag: C
text: To indicate the importance of trade fairs as a way of promoting printing presses

tag: D
text: To argue that the centers of printing had begun to shift from Germany to other parts of Europe
answer_key: A
explanation: 【题目翻译】：为什么作者在讨论中提到24种出版社?
A：表明德国印刷业的发展程度
B：为了强调这些印刷机的数量远远超过了修道院的抄写员
C：说明交易会作为一种推销印刷机的重要手段
D：认为印刷中心已经开始从德国转移到欧洲其他地区

【判定题型】：根据题干问法“why …… mention”，可以判断本题为修辞目的题。

【关键词定位】：根据题干中的24 presses 定位到第3段倒数第3句前半部分，原句为“ Presses sprang up in several German cities, and by 1470, Nuremberg, Germany had established itself as the center of the international publishing trade, printing books from 24 presses and distributing them at trade fairs all over western and central Europe.”。

【引用内容分析】从逻辑（上下文中的作用）和内容两方面进行分析。

【选项分析】：（分析选项为什么对、为什么错）
A：根据题干中的24 presses 定位到第3段倒数第3句前半部分，意思是印刷机在德国几个城市兴起，到 1470年，德国纽伦堡市已经成为国际出版贸易的中心， 综合句意选 A。
B：为了强调这些印刷机的数量远远超过了修道院的抄写员，文中未提及，故错误。
C：说明交易会作为一种推销印刷机的重要手段，文中未提及，故错误。
D：认为印刷中心已经开始从德国转移到欧洲其他地区，文中未提及，故错误。

question_stem: Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 4 about the “Gothic” typeface used in Germany?
choices: tag: A
text: It was adopted by the Italians when they hired two leading German printers

tag: B
text: It was more difficult to read than roman typeface

tag: C
text: It was easier to print than other styles of typeface

tag: D
text: It was widely popular with international readers
answer_key: B
explanation: 【题目翻译】：关于德国使用的“哥特”字体，下列哪项可以从第4段中推断出来?
A：当意大利人雇佣了两家领先的德国印刷商时，他们采用了这种方法
B：它比罗马字体更难读
C：它比其他类型的字体更容易打印
D：它受到国际读者的广泛欢迎

【判定题型】：根据题干中出现的关键词“infer”等其他表示推断的词，判定本题为推理题。

【关键词定位】：根据题干中的 Gothic 定位到第4段倒数第3句，原句为“German printers had the disadvantage of working with the complex typeface that the Italians sneeringly referred to as "Gothic" and that later became known as black letter.”

【逻辑分析】：选项 B 所表达的意思与原文相符。

【选项分析】：
A：当意大利人雇佣了两家领先的德国印刷商时，他们采用了这种方法，与文意不符，故排除。
B：根据题干中的 Gothic 定位到第4段倒数第3句，意思是德国印刷工人用 complex typeface 复杂的印刷字体工作有劣势，再结合下一句意思是在德国之外，读者们发现这种字体不合意，综合意思，B 最符合。
C：它比其他类型的字体更容易打印，与文意不符，故排除。
D：它受到国际读者的广泛欢迎，与文意不符，故排除。

question_stem: The word “impact” in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: goal

tag: B
text: profit

tag: C
text: effect

tag: D
text: effort
answer_key: C
explanation: 【题目翻译】：
与“impact ”这个词的意思最相近的选项是？ 
 A：目标
 B：收益，得益；利润
 C：影响；效果
 D：努力，尝试

【判定题型】：题目要求选出与高亮单词意思最接近的选项，故判断本题为词汇题。

【关键词定位】：
根据关键词“impact”,定位到原句“The cumulative impact of this industrial spread was spectacular.”

【词汇解析】：
词汇“impact”的意思是“影响”,带入到原句中，原句的意思是“这种工业传播的累积影响是惊人的。”

【选项分析】：
A 选项“goal”意思是“目标”，意思不符，故排除。
B 选项“profit”意思是“收益，得益；利润”，意思不符，故排除。
C 选项“effect”意思是“影响；效果”，意思相近，故选Ｃ。
D 选项“effort”意思是“努力，尝试”，意思不符，故排除。

question_stem: According to paragraph 4 and 5, how did German and Italian contributions to the printing industry differ?
choices: tag: A
text: German printers originated and applied a technique that Italian printers adapted more artistically

tag: B
text: German printers mass-produced books, while Italian printers produced fewer books of better quality

tag: C
text: German printers used only black typeface, while Italian printers used a variety of typeface colors and styles

tag: D
text: German printers had greater technological skill, while Italian printers wee more commercially successful
answer_key: A
explanation: 【题目翻译】：根据第4和第5段，德国和意大利对印刷工业的贡献有何不同?
A:德国的打印机发明和应用了一种技术，意大利的打印机更艺术地采用了这种技术
B:德国打印机大量生产书籍，而意大利打印机生产的质量更好的书籍更少
C:德国打印机只使用黑色字体，而意大利打印机使用各种字体颜色和样式
D:德国打印机的技术含量更高，而意大利打印机在商业上更成功

【判定题型】：题目问的是文章中的具体细节信息，故根据题目问法可以判断本题为事实信息题。

【关键词定位】：主要根据第5段第1句意思，尽管德国人利用纸革命引入活字印刷，但意大利人根据他们的艺术技艺获得了主动权而扬名。

【逻辑分析】：

【选项分析】：
A：尽管德国人利用纸革命引入活字印刷，但意大利人根据他们的艺术技艺获得了主动权而扬名。综合意思，A 最符合。
B: 德国打印机大量生产书籍，而意大利打印机生产的质量更好的书籍更少，与文意不符，故排除
C：德国打印机只使用黑色字体，而意大利打印机使用各种字体颜色和样式，与文意不符，故排除。
D：德国打印机的技术含量更高，而意大利打印机在商业上更成功，与文意不符，故排除。