专题能力训练十 阅读理解(一)
能力升级训练第27页
A
(2016·安徽宿州第一次质检)
Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy.After all,you probably sing or whistle when you are happy.
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy.However,they sing most of the time for a very different reason.Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory (领地).
Do you know what a “territory” is? A territory is an area that an animal,usually the male,claims as its own.Only he and his family are welcome there.No other families of the same species are welcome.Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome.If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten you,you might shout,probably this would be enough to frighten him away.
If so,you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him.A bird does the same thing.But he expects an outsider almost any time,especially at nesting season.So he’s screaming all the time,whether he can see an outsider or not.This screaming is what we call a bird’s song,and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.
Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs.You can see that birds have a language of their own.Most of it has something to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.
1.Some scientists believe that most of the time birds’ singing is actually .
A.an expression of happiness B.a way of warning
C.an expression of anger D.a language of their own
答案:B
解析:细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句可知,小鸟唱歌实际上是对其他小鸟的警告,让它们别入侵自己的领地。故B项正确。
2.What’s a bird’s territory?
A.A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice.
B.A place where other bird families are not accepted.
C.An area for which birds fight against each other.
D.An area which a bird considers to be its own.
答案:D
解析:细节理解题。根据第三段第二句话可知,领地即指一种动物声称是它自己的区域的地方。
3.Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?
A.Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away.
B.Because their singing helps get rid of their fears.
C.Because they want to find outsiders around.
D.Because they want to invite more bird friends.
答案:A
解析:推理判断题。根据第四段中后几句可知,小鸟预料到会有外来入侵者,所以它们总是叫来吓跑它们。
4.How does the writer explain birds’ singing?
A.By comparing birds with human beings.
B.By reporting experimental results.
C.By describing birds’ daily life.
D.By telling a bird’s story.
答案:A
解析:行文方法题。根据第一段可知,作者将鸟叫和人唱歌以及吹口哨作了类比,故选A项。
B
Your dilemma(进退两难) has two aspects:your employer demands loyalty,but you want to help another working woman.The question is whether you can act properly towards both.Your personal view about the unfair maternity policy makes it complicated.In the United States,paid maternity leave(带薪产假) is not an automatic benefit guaranteed by the government.Even unpaid leave is only permitted for a limited period with certain working hours.
It’s understandable that you feel such divided loyalties,said Gretchen Zetoony,a licensed clinical expert in Virginia.“On the one hand,you want to be careful not to provide information that might discomfort your employer in a negotiation;on the other hand,it’s natural to feel sympathetic toward someone in a similar situation,particularly if you see the company’s policy as unfair,”she said.
Before you give advice on negotiating a better maternity-leave package,remember to be careful with what you say.“If you are nervous that your employer could learn you had advised her,that should be a guide for you that you may wander into a questionable area,”Zetoony said.
What happens if your colleagues discover that this applicant benefits simply because of your advice.That may not be formal discrimination but it might create a bad feeling among colleagues who are not working mothers and who didn’t join your organization armed with insider tips.“In this case,the risk isn’t as much about betraying your employer or your fellow women as possibly creating conflict in the workplace if colleagues notice that you helped an applicant gain an advantage because you share some personal characteristics,”Zetoony said.If that happens,and you find that your colleagues are whispering about you,or openly complaining,address the situation with a calm sit-down.Explain that you felt you had to help this woman pass her way through the organization’s human-resources maze,and that you would do the same for anyone who asked you for advice.
There might be a better way to help women negotiate maternity leave than advising them.Consider getting together with colleagues who also care about this issue to advocate for better family leave policies within your organization,Zetoony suggests.The more employees who join you,the more likely management are to listen.It is also applicable in other components of an employment offer where you will face such a dilemma.
【语篇导读】本文是一篇议论文。有人想在带薪产假政策方面帮助一位女同事,但如果方法不当,可能会使自己陷入进退两难的境地。面对这一问题,最好的办法是发挥集体的力量,召集关心这一问题的同事,一起研究更好的对策。
5.One may fall into a dilemma mainly because .
A.he thinks the maternity policy unfair
B.his employer breaks the maternity policy
C.the US government protects his employer
D.his woman colleague asks for a paid leave
答案:A
解析:细节理解题。根据第一段第三句 “Your personal view about the unfair maternity policy makes it complicated.” 可知,一个人有时会陷入进退两难的境地,是因为他既要对老板忠诚,又想帮助女同事,而他认为产假政策不公平让事情更复杂,从而陷入两难的境地。故选A项。
6.According to Zetoony,your nervousness might lead to .
A.your employer’s forgiveness
B.an even more embarrassing situation
C.your employer’s sympathy
D.an exposure to your characteristics
答案:B
解析:细节理解题。根据第三段中的 “If you are nervous that your employer could learn you had advised her,that should be a guide for you that you may wander into a questionable area” 可知,如果你紧张不安,你的雇主可能了解到你给她提了一些建议,你应该由此意识到,这可能会使自己陷入被怀疑的境地,这会更难堪。故选B项。
7.From the passage,in a similar dilemma,you’d better .
A.talk to your employer directly
B.put forward more applicable solutions
C.give your colleagues a helping hand sincerely
D.gather more colleagues to work out better policies
答案:D
解析:细节理解题。根据最后一段第二、三句可知,遇到类似的进退两难的困境时,最好发挥集体的力量,召集关心这一问题的同事,一起研究更好的对策,因此D项与题意相符。
8.What’s the author’s attitude towards maternity leave?
A.Supportive. B.Neutral.
C.Negative. D.Critical.
答案:A
解析:观点态度题。根据最后一段第一句 “There might be a better way to help women negotiate maternity leave than advising them.” 并结合上下文内容可知,作者对推进带薪产假政策提出了自己的建议,因此作者对于带薪产假持支持的态度。故选A项。
C
(2016·北京海淀期末练习)
The Great Barn Adventure
One morning when I was 11,I explored the town’s abandoned round grain barn(谷仓).I found a chained sliding door that was wide enough for me to pass through.
Inside,there was a heavy smell of dead mice in the dark.After my eyes adjusted,I noticed a shaft(竖井) that rose all the way to the top of the barn.On one side was a one-man elevator with a long rope and roller.
I stepped onto the platform and gave the rope a drag and the elevator began sliding up the shaft,but stopped halfway.After a brief panic attack,I noticed holes in the wall at regular intervals,forming a ladder.For reasons known only to an 11-year-old,I decided it would be better to go up than down.So,with shaking hands,I began climbing the wall.
After what seemed like forever,I reached the top of the shaft.I stood up,dusted myself off and found...absolutely nothing of interest.It was just an empty room with a ladder leading up to the roof.I climbed all the way up here for this?Then I noticed a fire extinguisher(灭火器),which I’d always wanted to shoot off.So this was the chance of a lifetime.I tried it,and,much to my surprise,the thing worked!It shot out a thick cloud of powder that instantly filled the room.I couldn’t breathe.I was going to choke to death,and they’d probably never even find my body.
Luckily,I remembered the ladder to the roof.I climbed up,popped the straw roof and saw a bright blue sky.
I suddenly realized the dust and powder pouring out of the top could draw attention.So when the dust had settled,I climbed down and slipped out of the chained door.I’m not sure if I was more excited about being alive or about not being caught,but I ran all the way back home.
9.When the author got inside the barn,he .
A.noticed a man on the elevator
B.opened the chained sliding door
C.saw many dead mice in the dark
D.found a shaft leading to the top
答案:D
解析:细节理解题。根据第二段内容可知,作者从门缝进到谷仓,闻到很浓的死老鼠的气味,然后看到有个竖井能直通仓顶,房边有个单人电梯,故选D项。
10.Which of the following is the right order of the author’s adventure?
a.The elevator stopped halfway.
b.He entered the round grain barn.
c.He climbed to the top of the shaft.
d.He found a fire extinguisher and shot it off.
A.b-a-c-d B.a-c-b-d
C.c-a-d-b D.b-c-a-d
答案:A
解析:细节理解题。根据文章的叙述可知,作者首先是进了谷仓(b),然后想坐电梯到仓顶去,结果升到一半就停了(a),于是作者爬到竖井顶端(c),在上面看到一个灭火器并淘气地打开了灭火器(d),因此选A项。
11.After getting out of the chained door,the author might feel .
A.inspired B.relieved
C.surprised D.disappointed
答案:B
解析:推理判断题。由第四段内容可知,作者在谷仓屋顶找到一个灭火器并且打开之后,灭火器浓浓的粉末让作者几乎窒息,跑出来的过程中掀起的灰尘让他担心会引起人们的注意,因此在跑出来之后觉得庆幸,由此推断作者跑出来后觉得如释重负。
12.From the passage,we can learn that the author was probably a boy full of .
A.passions B.dreams
C.curiosity D.imagination
答案:C
解析:推理判断题。从文章的描述可以看出,作者那时是个充满好奇心的孩子。
D
(2016·郑州第二次质量预测)
What would you do if you were a fifth grader facing a huge homework load every night,and you found that there was a machine that would do all the work for you?That’s the situation presented to Sam,Kelsey,Judy and Brenton in Dan Gutman’s entertaining new book for young readers,The Homework Machine.
The four children,all fifth graders in Miss Rasmussen’s class at Grand Canyon School,are as different as any other 11-year-old child could be,but they have one thing in common—all are somewhat separated from their classmates.Sam is a newcomer and has had his share of school trouble before;Kelsey quietly carries her pain at losing her father;Judy’s sense of justice always annoys others;Brenton is the smartest child in the school,and he is so smart that even his parents and teachers have trouble keeping up with him.When Brenton and his three classmates are put into the same study group by their teacher,the others discover that Brenton has made a time-saving gadget(小装置) to do homework for him.While the boy is perfectly able to do his homework himself,Sam,Kelsey and Judy can use the help.
Having perfect grades is something new for these three,and as they meet every day to “do homework”,they find that they’re learning a lot about each other.Such a good thing can’t last though,and when a secret man starts trying to get in touch with them,they begin to get nervous.Soon there’s an even more frightening problem—why can’t the Homework Machine be turned off?
Told in different voices as all the children make statements to the Grand Canyon Police,the story develops in an interesting fashion.Gutman is a gifted writer who has written dozens of children’s books,each with a funny and impressing tale that should be equally liked by boys and girls.
【语篇导读】这是一篇说明文,主要介绍了新书《家庭作业机器》的相关故事情节。
13.What is one common thing that all the four children have to deal with at school?
A.Getting along with their classmates.
B.Doing their homework by themselves.
C.Overcoming difficulties on their own.
D.Catching up with others to get good grades.
答案:A
解析:推理判断题。由文章第二段中的 “all are somewhat separated from their classmates” 可知,他们面临的共同问题是如何与同学相处。
14.Which of the following words can best describe Brenton?
A.Strange and nervous. B.Quiet and smart.
C.Brave and special. D.Clever and helpful.
答案:D
解析:推理判断题。第二段说聪明的布伦顿发明了一种做作业的省时小装置,学习小组的另外三个人也可以用这个小装置帮助自己做作业,因此选D项,他聪明并且愿意帮助别人。
15.Why did the children get frightened?
A.They lost touch with each other.
B.They were questioned by a strange man.
C.They had no idea how to stop the machine.
D.They were tracked down by the police.
答案:C
解析:细节理解题。由文章第三段中的 “Soon there’s an even more frightening problem—why can’t the Homework Machine be turned off?” 可知选C项。
16.This passage most probably comes from .
A.a student’s diary B.a book review
C.a school report D.a science story
答案:B
解析:文章出处题。本文介绍的是一本书的相关内容,因此应该是出自书评(a book review)。
E
(2016·安徽马鞍山第一次质检)
My wife Julie and I were out on the road that runs around where we live,when we saw an old worn-out dog stumbling(蹒跚) painfully up the road.We stopped,bent down,talked gently to the dog and patted it.I checked and there was a collar with a phone number.I called but no one answered.
The dog was painfully thin.So Julie ran home to get some of our dog’s food while I tried to encourage the dog.After Julie came back,we sat down on the sidewalk while our new friend made short work of the food.Eventually we got her home.
After trying for many times we got a response from the number.A lady came around with a bunch of flowers for us.She explained that Tara had been her father’s dog.She was very old and got lost that morning.So,Tara was safely returned home.
Here is the truth of the story:
Actually Julie and I were out that morning because I was leaving.She was trying to persuade me to come back,but I wasn’t hearing anything that made that sound likely.
I was about to turn and go when an old black dog walked between us and almost fell down.Suddenly we had something more important than our problem to worry about.There was a creature in need right before us and we had to work together to help it.
We did help it.And here I am writing the story in my own home,in my own family.
In the song “Love Is Not a Fight” Warren Barfield talks about marriage.At one point he sings,“And if we try to leave,may God send angels(天使) to guard the door.”Sometimes angels come disguised(伪装) as dogs.
17.How was the dog when found?
A.Too weak to walk. B.Thin and worn out.
C.Unable to eat food. D.Homeless but gentle.
答案:B
解析:细节理解题。根据第一段第一句及第二段第一句可知,狗被发现时既瘦又衰弱。故B项为正确答案。
18.We can infer from Paragraph 2 that .
A.the dog didn’t go with the writer
B.the writer had his own pet dog
C.Julie bought some food for the dog
D.the dog didn’t eat any of the food
答案:B
解析:推理判断题。根据第二段第二句“So Julie ran home to get some of our dog’s food while I tried to encourage the dog.”可知,作者有其自己的宠物狗。由此推断出B项为正确答案。
19.The underlined part “our problem” in the passage refers to the fact that .
A.the writer didn’t want to take Julie’s advice
B.an old black dog appeared in front of them
C.Julie disagreed with the writer’s travel on business
D.the couple had some trouble with their marriage
答案:D
解析:推理判断题。根据第五段说明可知,作者和其妻子之间出现了一些问题。故这里的our problem指的是他们的婚姻出现了问题。因此D项为正确答案。
20.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A.An Angel Dog B.A Helpful Couple
C.Saving The Dog D.A Famous Song
答案:A
解析:标题概括题。本文作者通过介绍自己帮助一条宠物狗的同时也挽救了自己的婚姻的故事,最后指明这条狗就如同是一位天使,故用A项作为文章标题很好地突出了主题。