第8练 阅读＋七
Ⅰ.阅读理解
A
体裁：记叙文 话题：日常生活 词数：310 时间：5′
Think you can keep a straight face while watching your favorite comedian？Now，the comedy club named Teatre in Barcelona is betting you can't.The club is even basing its ticket prices on how often it can make you laugh.It's said you can get into the club show for free，but every laugh will cost you 38 cents more.Would you like to deliberately keep from laughing in order to save money？
The Teatre club has equipped facial－recognition technology on the back of its chairs.It can track how much each person in their theatre has enjoyed the show.The system was developed by advertising agency The Cyranos McCann，after Teatre asked them to think up a way to increase ticket sales.
A number of people have tried to sit through a comedy show without laughing in an attempt to get a free ticket，but they all failed.Using the new system，the average ticket price per person has so far been $7.58.It seems the pricing system has caught__on，with other theatres in Spain now copying the pay－per－laugh technology.
It is unclear which kind of facial recognition software is being used，but most use algorithms (算法) to track facial marks on an audience's face.For example，an algorithm can analyze the position，size or shape of the mouth to determine whether a person is laughing，smiling or sad.The comedy club has also launched a mobile app as a method of payment and a pay－per－laugh season ticket.
James Woron，director of the Club，said，“The idea sounds fun.It'd be a big technical challenge—as people laugh so often，we'd have to put a cash machine by every seat.”
【语篇解读】 西班牙的一家剧院根据观众笑的次数收费。
1．The Teatre club charges ticket price based on ________．
A．the audience' s appearance
B．how long people watch the show
C．the times that audience laugh
D．the times people come to the club
答案 C [细节理解题。根据第一段“The club is even basing its ticket prices on how often it can make you laugh.”可知，这家剧院根据观众笑的次数收费。]
2．Why do the club use the facial－recognition technology?
A．To save performance costs.
B．To increase ticket sales.
C．To keep the thieves away.
D．To satisfy more audience.
答案 B [细节理解题。根据第二段“...after Teatre asked them to think up a way to increase ticket sales.”可知，剧院运用这项技术是为了提高门票销量。]
3．What does the underlined phrase
caught on” mean?
A．Become popular.
B．Learned from others.
C．Held tightly.
D．Understood.
答案 A [词义猜测题。根据第三段画线词下文“...with other theatres in Spain now copying the pay－per－laugh technology.”可知，西班牙的其他剧院也在效仿运用这种技术，由此可猜测，这项技术变得流行
4．What can we get to know from the text?
A．The Teatre club always offers the best shows.
B．A lot of people can get a free ticket in Teatre.
C．People couldn't help laughing in order to save money.
D．The facial－recognition software can tell people's moods.
答案 D [细节理解题。根据第四段“...an algorithm can analyze the position，size or shape of the mouth to determine whether a person is laughing，smiling or sad.”可知，这款软件可以根据观众嘴的位置、大小和形状来判断他/她的情绪。]
B
体裁：记叙文 话题：保护自然 词数：401 时间：8′
While the presence of rats in homes may cause anxiety and annoyance，they rarely result in driving out the residents.But that is exactly what happened to the inhabitants of the 10－square－mile Hawadax Island off the coast of Alaska，almost 230 years ago.Now thanks to a five－year effort by scientists，the terribly silent “Rat Island” as it had been called for many years has been returned to its rightful owners—birds!
Hawadax
Island is part of a chain of volcanic islands in the Bering Sea called the Aleutian Islands.The rats that arrived there in
1780，when
a Japanese ship carrying them
broke
down nearby，completely destroyed the native population because the environment of the island was not built to defend its animals from these predators.There isn't any tree on the island，which meant that the birds were accustomed to building their nests low in the ground，giving the rodents(啮齿动物) easy access to both eggs and baby chicks.As years passed，the birds that had called the island home for thousands of years became endangered and eventually，disappeared completely.
In 2007，the U．S.FWS(Fish and Wildlife Service) started a serious plan to rid the island of the rats and try bringing back the beautiful birds that had once called it home.Given that there were an estimated 10，000 rodents inhabiting “Rat Island” and the fact that they reproduce rapidly，it was not an easy task.But by 2009，the island was officially declared rat free!
Then slowly but surely，the birds began to return.Unfortunately，some of the pioneers were unintentionally killed from the leavings of the raticide，a poison that had been used to wipe out the rodents.But now it seems things are becoming more stable and the island is starting to increasingly look like its former self.Before the transformation，“Hawadax”，also known as “Rat Island”，was a silent and ghostly place with bird bones，snail remains and rocks covered in rat feces(粪便)．
Today，birds' singing and flying in and out is a common sight.Tufted puffins and song sparrows，which had long disappeared，are gradually making their way back.Scientists have
also
been observing an increase in ground nesting and shore birds.Though the island is still not back to its full glory，the signs are encouraging and things can only get better，as time passes.
【语篇解读】 本文讲述了在哈瓦达克斯岛上因老鼠入侵而导致鸟类灭绝，经过科学家们的努力，猖獗的老鼠被消灭
5．The underlined word “that” in Para.1 probably refers to ________．
A．the presence of rats
B．birds' being driven out
C．birds' returning to the island
D．residents' worrying about rats
答案 B [词义猜测题..they rarely result in driving out the residents.及本段末的．..has been returned to its rightful owners—birds！可知，that指“该岛上的鸟类曾经被老鼠驱逐出去”这件事。]
6．Birds on Hawadax Island became an easy target because ________．
A．this island was treeless
B．they nested randomly
C．they reproduced too rapidly
D．their chicks were extremely weak
答案 A [细节理解题。根据第二段第三句There isn't any tree on the island，...giving the rodents(啮齿动物) easy access to both eggs and baby chicks.可知。]
7．From the passage，we can know the plan of U．S.FWS ________．
A．has helped the island fully recovered
B．cost little but benefited greatly
C．involved poisoning the rats on a large scale
D．accomplished its goal after exactly 24 months
答案 C [细节理解题。根据第三段的第一句．..started a serious plan to rid the island of the rats...及第四段的第二句中．..the raticide，a poison that had been used to wipe out the rodents可知，答案为C项。]
8．Which would be the best title for the passage?
A．FWS Help Get Rare Birds Back to Alaska Island
B．Japanese Changed a Bird Paradise into Rat Island
C．FWS Plan to Drive Rats out of Rat Island
D．Alaska's Rat Island Returns to a Bird Paradise
答案 D [主旨大意题。全文讲述在FWS的帮助D项。C项侧重介绍与FWS计划相关的内容，而这只是文章内容的一部分。]
Ⅱ.根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Everyone needs a break，and vacations are not meant for serious study.__9__ The Spring Festival is coming up so this is the perfect time to discuss some great English language literature to take on a long train journey.
Before
getting
into
the
recommendations，you
need
to determine your English reading comprehension level.If you're at the beginner's level，there are two options：reading a children's book or reading a book that you've read in Chinese translation.__10__ If you're at the intermediate level，popular books like pop fiction，mysteries and thrillers are good options.For advanced readers，classic works of literature or modern prize winners
(Nobel，Pulitzer) are good options.
__11__When I pick up a book I like，even though the first few chapters are really hard to get through，I would try to get accustomed to the language the author uses.Generally，after the first few chapters，things get a lot easier，especially if I get involved in the story.
Another great way to keep yourself motivated is to find a friend who's interested in reading the same book.You can make goals that you both want to achieve.__12__
Some quick recommendations：Harry Potter，start with the first book and go on from there；the Narnia series；anything by U．S.writer Michael Crichton；and if you like horror，U.S.writer Stephen King is always unusual and fun.__13__ Happy reading!
A．If you pick a book which is so challenging，it will be too stressful.
B．The most important thing is to pick a book that you're really interested in.
C．You may also enjoy your reading when hanging out with your family.
D．You should just find a topic or author you're interested in，and the rest will go from there.
E．You can also discuss plot lines or vocabulary issues with each other by SMS or email.
F．Instead，they're a great way to take a break and enjoy a good book.
G．This will help you get over any unfamiliar words or phrases，since you're already familiar with the story.
【语篇解读】 本文谈论了怎样接触英语文学，并对不同程度的读者提供了阅读建议。
9．F [根据上文needs a break，以及“假期不是为了严肃而认真地学习”可知此处用Instead...转折引出下文较合适。]
10．G [根据常识可知读者读过中译本，则会be familiar with the story，故选G项。]
11．B [根据a book I like可知作者建议：选择感兴趣的书。]
12．E [第四段主要讲和朋友一起读书能做的事，所以E项正确。]
13．D [上文提到了Harry Potter，the Narnia series，Michael Crichton，Stephen King都是推荐读的书目及作者，而且也提到了horror，这是一个topic，都包括在D项内，所以D项正确。]
Ⅲ.阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
Two things I did may have caused people __14__(think) that something is wrong with me.The first was when my wife asked me to have the sitting－room clock __15__(repair)，I drove into the marketplace of our little town and，clock under arm，entered a shop.Only it was the meat shop.__16__ my thoughts far away，I stood staring into the shop－keeper's eyes.I __17__(be)
his customer for a long time and the good man smiled at me.
This went on for several very long seconds before I realized where I was.There is no doubt that I should have calmly bought a pound of meat，__18__ I merely nodded briefly and left.
The other man in my town who probably thinks I am mad is Mr.Smith.Some years ago he was manager of Mead's Shop，and he and I knew each other quite well.One day，he __19__ (stand) in the doorway of his shop when I passed.My brain was on some distant problem and my eyes stared into space.
“Hello，Mr.Herriot，” I heard his voice.I turned a blank gaze on him—I just had no idea __20__ he was though his face was familiar.Then I saw __21__ word “MEAD” in foot－high letters above the shop window.
“Good morning，Mead，” I cried heartily and continued my way.I had gone only a few steps before I realized that my greeting had been __22__(polite)．I turned back and said to him again，“Good morning，Mister Mead.”
It was only when I had turned the corner of the street that I realized，too late，__23__ his name was Tony and the time was late afternoon.
【语篇解读】 一次作者要修表，
14．to think [cause sb to do sth意为“导致某人做某事”，为固定短语。]
15．repaired [have sth done意为“使某事/物被……”，为固定搭配。]
16．With [此处为with的复合结构，在句中作伴随状语。]
17．had been [由时间状语for a long time以及smiled可知，此处应用过去完成时。]
18．but [由前后两句之间为转折关系可知此处填but。]
19．was standing [sb be doing sth when...意为“某人正在做某事，这时……”，为固定句型。]
20．who [此处用who引导宾语从句，并在从句中作表语。]
21．the [此处特指MEAD这个单词。]
22．impolite [由语境可知此处表示“不礼貌的”。]
23．that [所填词引导宾语从句，且从句中不缺成分，所以引导词用that。]
Ⅳ.短文改错
下面短文中有10处语言错误。请在有错误的地方增加、删除或修改某个单词。
增加：在缺词
删除：把多余的词用斜线()划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每句不超过两个错误；
2．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
3．只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
(2015·成都二模)One day the English woman visited a Chinese friend and was offered a cup of tea.She was not thirsty and find it bitter.However，she felt she should drink it to be polite.Hoped to finish the tea quickly so that she wouldn't have to drink what didn't interest in her，she drank as quickly as she could.So as soon as her cup became half empty，the hostess insisted on giving her much.She kept on drink.During her visit，she drank 12 cup.She couldn't understand why her Chinese hostess didn't take no notice of her protest she had drunk enough.
答案
One day
English woman visited a Chinese friend and was offered a cup of tea.She was not thirsty and
it bitter.However，she felt she should drink it to be polite. to finish the tea quickly so that she wouldn't have to drink what didn't interest
her，she drank as quickly as she could. as soon as her cup became half empty，the hostess insisted on giving her.She kept on.During her visit，she drank 12.She couldn't understand why her Chinese hostess didn't take
notice of her protest she had drunk enough.