2016高考英语二轮阅读理解一百六十集选练（62）
阅读理解。
A recent study of ancient and modern elephants has come up with the unexpected conclusion that the African elephant is divided into two distinct(不同的) species.
The discovery was made by researchers at York and Harvard Universities when they were examining the genetic relationship between the ancient woolly mammoth and mastodon to modern elephants—the Asian elephant, African forest elephant, and African savanna elephant.
Once they obtained DNA sequences (序列)from two fossils (化石), mammoths and mastodons, the team compared them with DNA from modern elephants. They found to their amazement that modern forest and savanna elephants are as distinct from each other as Asian elephants and mammoths.
The scientists used detailed genetic analysis to prove that the African savanna elephant and the African forest elephant have been distinct species for several million years. The divergence of the two species took place around the time of the divergence of Asian elephants and woolly mammoths. This result amazed all the scientists.
There has long been debate in the scientific community that the two might be separate species, but this is the most convincing scientific evidence so far that they are indeed different species.
Previously, many naturalists believed that African savanna elephants and African forest elephants were two populations of the same species, despite the elephants' significant size differences. The savanna elephant has an average shoulder height of 3.5 metres while the forest elephant has an average shoulder height of 2.5 metres. The savanna elephant weighs between six and seven tons, roughly double the weight of the forest elephant. But the fact that they look so different does not necessarily mean they are different species. However the proof lay in the analysis of the DNA.
Alfred Roca, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois, said, “We now have to treat the forest and savanna elephants as two different units for conservation purposes. Since 1950, all African elephants have been conserved as one species. Now that we know the forest and savanna elephants are two very distinctive animals, the forest elephant should become a bigger priority (优先) for conservation purposes.”
本文讲述了一项新的科学发现：通过对非洲森林大象和非洲草原大象DNA的鉴定，科学家们得出结论：它们是两种不同的物种。我们要保护这些珍稀动物。
1．One of the fossils studied by the researchers is that of ________
A．the Asian elephant
B．the forest elephant
C．the savanna elephant D．the mastodon elephant
答案：D。细节理解题。由第3段第一句话“...two fossils，mammoths and mastodons...”可知D项正确。
．The underlined word “divergence”in Paragraph 4 means “________ ”．
A．evolution
B．exhibition
C．separation
D．examination
答案：C。词义猜测题。科学家门一直在证明非洲森林大象和非洲草原大象是两种不同的物种，他们之间的分歧使科学家们大为惊讶。
．The researchers' conclusion was based on a study of the African elephant's ________.
A．DNA
B．height
C．weight
D．population
答案：A。细节理解题。由倒数第二段最后一句话“However the proof lay in the analysis of the DNA”可知。
．What are Alfred Roca's words mainly about?
A．The conservation of African elephants.
B．The purpose of studying African elephants.
C．The way to divide African elephants into two units.
D．The reason for the distinction of African elephants.
答案：A。推理判断题。由文章最后一段“...for conservation purposes”可知A项正确。
．Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A．Naturalists' Beliefs about Elephants
B．Amazing Experiments about Elephants
C．An Unexpected Finding about Elephants
D．A Long Scientific Debate about Elephants
答案：C。主旨大意题。全文讲述了关于非洲大象的一项意外的发现。
—词义猜测题、观点态度题。
(2015年山西太原五中三模)
Both of Jessica's parents were lawyers and expected her to follow suit. So she went to law school, got a job at a great firm in Washington, DC, and worked as a lawyer for a decade. But her heart was never in it. “I had a big salary but no personal satisfaction,” she says.
Jessica found pleasure in the same thing that had brought her joy since joining the church choir at the age of 12. “Singing always felt like communicating something real at a spiritual and emotional level,” says Jessica. Yet she never considered it a career option.” That seemed like something people did in fairy tales, and I would never let my parents down.” She says.
It was her mom's diagnosis of brain cancer in 2009 that made Jessica realize she had to write her own happy-ever-after.” Work was busy and my mother was ailing. So I was flying back and forth from Washington, DC to Houston to see her,” Jessica says. “I finally said, “ enough!” and quit.” While caring for her mom, Jessica made a plan. She would spend her savings and study music for a year, and then open a part-time law practice so she could pursue her passion. Before her mother passed away two years later, she encouraged Jessica to follow her dream. Her song Live This Life was inspired by her mom, and her dad came to watch her perform at clubs.
In 2016, Jessica moved to Nashville to try singing and songwriting. A decade of presenting cases in court gave her the confidence to sing for a crowd. “At 20, I would have been too shy to perform,” says Jessica.
“Doing music is so free.” Jessica says. “There's no pressure to be a star. Success, to me, isn't
a dollar amount or a record deal; it's doing what I love.”
Which of the following is TRUE?
Jessica didn't really like working as a lawyer.
Jessica didn't know what she truly loved for ten years.
Jessica wasn't satisfied with the pay she got as a lawyer
Jessica was grateful for her parents' arrangement for her
What does the underlined word “ailing” in Paragraph 3 mean?
Sick
B, Crazy.
C. Worried
D. unhappy
What was Jessica's mother's attitude toward her singing?
A, Unknown
B. Doubtful
C. Supportive
D. Negative
By telling Jessica's story, the writer most probably wants to
.
Encourage us to pursue our dreams
Show that singing can be a practical career
Tell us the importance of choosing a right job
Show that family members' support is important
语篇解读
本文讲述的是Jessice顺从父母的意愿选择当了一名律师，虽然薪水很高但并没有得到满足感，加入唱诗班后她发现了自己兴趣所在，另外妈妈得了癌症后也鼓励她追求自己的梦想。
A 细节理解题。根据第一段“I had a big salary but no personal satisfaction, She says.可知，虽然薪水很高但没有个人满足感，故选A项。
A 词义猜测题。根据第三段It was her mom's diagnosis of brain cancer in 2009 that made Jessica realize she had to write her own happy-ever-after.可知，妈妈被诊断出脑癌，故选A 项。
C 细节理解题。根据第三段Before her mother passed away two years later, she encouraged Jessica to follow her dream. 可知，在妈妈去世前两年里，她鼓励女儿去实现她的梦想，故她的态度是支持的。
A 目的意图题。作者通过自己的经历告诉我们要大胆追求自己的梦想。
阅读理解。
Do you know of anyone who uses the truth to deceive (欺骗)? When someone tells you something that is true, but leaves out important in formation that should be included, he can give you a false picture.
For example, some might say, “I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery (彩票). It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for on e hundred dollars!”
This guy’s a winner, right? Maybe, maybe not. We then discover that he bought $200 worth of tickets, and only on e was a winner. He’s really a big loser!
He didn’t say anything that was false, but he left out important information on purpose. That’s called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically lies, but they are just as dishonest.
Some politicians often use this trick. Let’s say that during Governor Smith’s last term, her state lost one million jobs and gained three million jobs. Then she seeks another term. One of her opponents(对手) says, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state lost one million jobs!” that’s true. However, and honest statement would have been, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state had a net gain of two million jobs.”
Advertisers(广告商) will sometimes use half-truths. It’s against the law to make false statements so they try to mislead you with the truth. An advertisement might say, “Nine out of ten doctors advised their patients to take Yucky Pills to cure toothache.” It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Company.
This kind of deception happens too of often. It’s a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.
1. How much did the lottery winner lose?
A. One hundred dollars.
B. Two hundred dollars.
C. Three hundred dollars.
D. Four hundred dollars.
2. We may infer that the author believes people should _______.
A. buy lottery tickets
B. make use of half-truths
C. not take anything at face value
D. not trust the Yucky Company
3. What do the underline words “net gain” in Paragraph 5 mean?
A. final increase
B. big advantage
C. large share
D. total saving
4. What can we know from the example of the Yucky Pill advertisement?
False statements are easy to see through.
B. Half-truths are often used to mislead people.
Doctors like to act in advertisements.
D. Advertisements are based on facts.
【参考答案】1—4、.A C A B
2016高考训练题。阅读理解阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Like many old towns in the forested valleys of the Northwest, Albany, Ore, has seen its share of ups and downs over the years, but when the local economy began to decline some 15 years ago, the downs seemed to outnumber the ups.
"Albany was changing completely. We had to find a way to reinvent ourselves," says Wendy Kirbey, the former owner of a coffee shop downtown. So in 2002,Kirbey,69,proposed (提议) a project she hoped would help her town rediscover its pride: a Victorian-style carousel (旋转木马),the animals carved by the townspeople themselves.
"It felt like the perfect fit for our historical town," she says. Despite a sceptical city council (议会) and a starting budget of only $ 150,Kfrbey and a handful of volunteers got to work.
Ten years later, more than 300 people have spent nearly 150,000 hours on the Albany Carousel, making a lively herd of unusual creatures. Each of the 52 animals has been "adopted" by a sponsor, who oversees its creation and often adds a personal touch.
The project has shown the diverse skills and creative talents of Albany (pop. 50,000). "The amazing thing about this attempt is that whenever we’ve needed something, it’s been provided for us," says Kirbey. "Somebody's aunt knows somebody's uncle who comes down to lend a hand".
Kirbey says it will take two more years to complete the project. But the carousel is already working its magic. "It is our town’s No. 1 attraction," says Rod Porsche of the Albany Visitors Association. As the animals are completed, they're put on show in local hotels, restaurants and shops; people who come to see the fantastical figures around town and tour the workshop (as many as 2,000 visitors a month) are helping Albany with its economic recovery. "I can’t imagine how great it’s going to be when the carousel is up and running," Porsche says.
1. What can we learn about the carousel?
A. It cost a fortune.
B. It looks very modern.
C. It received support from all walks of life.
D. It took ten years to build.
2. By saying the underlined sentence, Kirbey wants to tell us_______ .
A. the townspeople are closely linked
B. it is a small world
C. uncles and aunts make great efforts
D. help is at hand
3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. Porsche has made an outstanding contribution to Albany.
B. Porsche is sceptical of the town-s attractions.
C. Porsche has made many friends through the project.
D. Porsche thinks highly of the project.
4. The text is mainly about_______.
A. how a struggling town found a way to create a little magic
B. the ups and downs of Albany
C. how the carousel would help a town recover its culture
D. the creative talents of Albany
参考答案1—4、CDDA