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The most thoroughly studied in the history of the new world are the ministers and political leaders of seventeenth-century New England. According to the standard history of American philosophy, nowhere else in colonial America was “So much important attached to intellectual pursuits ” According to many books and articles, New England’s leaders established the basic themes and preoccupations of an unfolding, dominant Puritan tradition in American intellectual life.

To take this approach to the New Englanders normally mean to start with the Puritans’ theological innovations and their distinctive ideas about the church-important subjects that we may not neglect. But in keeping with our examination of southern intellectual life, we may consider the original Puritans as carriers of European culture adjusting to New world circumstances. The New England colonies were the scenes of important episodes in the pursuit of widely understood ideals of civility and virtuosity.

The early settlers of Massachusetts Bay included men of impressive education and influence in England. `Besides the ninety or so learned ministers who came to Massachusetts church in the decade after 1629,There were political leaders like John Winthrop, an educated gentleman, lawyer, and official of the Crown before he journeyed to Boston. There men wrote and published extensively, reaching both New World and Old World audiences, and giving New England an atmosphere of intellectual earnestness.

We should not forget , however, that most New Englanders were less well educated. While few crafts men or farmers, let alone dependents and servants, left literary compositions to be analyzed, The in thinking often had a traditional superstitions quality. A tailor named John Dane, who emigrated in the late 1630s, left an account of his reasons for leaving England that is filled with signs. sexual confusion, economic frustrations , and religious hope-all name together in a decisive moment when he opened the Bible, told his father the first line he saw would settle his fate, and read the magical words: “come out from among them, touch no unclean thing , and I will be your God and you shall be my people.” One wonders what Dane thought of the careful sermons explaining the Bible that he heard in puritan churched.

Mean while , many settles had slighter religious commitments than Dane’s, as one clergyman learned in confronting folk along the coast who mocked that they had not come to the New world for religion . “Our main end was to catch fish. ”

36. The author notes that in the seventeenth-century New England___________.

[A] Puritan tradition dominated political life.

[B] intellectual interests were encouraged.

[C] Politics benefited much from intellectual endeavors.

[D] intellectual pursuits enjoyed a liberal environment.

37. It is suggested in paragraph 2 that New Englanders__________.

[A] experienced a comparatively peaceful early history.

[B] brought with them the culture of the Old World

[C] paid little attention to southern intellectual life

[D] were obsessed with religious innovations

38. The early ministers and political leaders in Massachusetts Bay__________.

[A] were famous in the New World for their writings

[B] gained increasing importance in religious affairs

[C] abandoned high positions before coming to the New World

[D] created a new intellectual atmosphere in New England

39. The story of John Dane shows that less well-educated New Englanders were often __________.

[A] influenced by superstitions

[B] troubled with religious beliefs

[C] puzzled by church sermons

[D] frustrated with family earnings

40. The text suggests that early settlers in New England__________.

[A] were mostly engaged in political activities

[B] were motivated by an illusory prospect

[C] came from different backgrounds.

[D] left few formal records for later reference
 

36.【B】事实细节题目。意为：作者认为在17世纪的新英格兰 。

B为正确选项。A选项为原文的篡改。C选项从原文的表述中无法推出。D选项文章中没有提到“对于知识的追求享有自由的环境”

37.【B】推理判断题。意为：第二段中暗示出新到达英格兰的人

B为正确选项，新到达清教徒带着旧世界的文化。些段中的第二句提到，we may consider the original Puritans as carriers of European culture……，选项中的New Englanders对应文中的Puritans, brought with them the culture of the Old World对应该文章中的carriers of European culture，故此选项为此句中的同义替换。

38.【D】事实细节题。意为：早期到达马萨诸赛海湾的牧师和政治领导人

D为正确选项为新英格兰创造了新的知识环境。对应第三段中的最后一句话There men wrote and publish ed extensively, reaching both New World and Old World audiences, and giving New England an atmosphere of intellectual earnestness. A选项中in the new world缩小了原文所表述的范围，B选项在文章中没有提到，C选项不够。帮D为正确答案。

39.【A】例证题。意为：关于John Dane的故事表明受教育较少的新英格兰人 。

A为正确选项举例是为了说明文中的观点，由文章第四段可知，观点为their thinking often had a traditional superstitions quality，所以在四个选项中只有A选项和文章的观点最为符合。

40.【C】推断题。意为：从文章中可以看出到新英格兰的早期的定居者 。

C为正确选项，能过全文可看出来到英语兰早期的定居者，有政客、牧师、裁缝还有渔由此可见早期的定居者背景多种多样。