2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-21
A
US billionaires are back on top with Microsoft founder Bill Gates again the world's richest man in a year when even billionaires felt the heat of the global recession, Forbes magazine said Wednesday.
The wealthy few did not escape big shocks this year, with net worth on the list of 793 billionaires -- down from 1,125 billionaires in 2008 -- plummeting to 2.4 trillion dollars from 4.4 trillion, Forbes said.
"The biggest news today is that we are here and there still are billionaires," Forbes spokeswoman Monie Begley joked at a press conference.
The much-watched annual rich list put Gates back on top with a net worth of 40 billion dollars, although he saw his bank balance lose 18 billion over the last 12 months. In second came investor Warren Buffett with 37 billion dollars, despite losing 25 billion dollars this year in the value of his Berkshire Hathaway shares. Also losing 25 billion dollars, Mexican telecoms king Carlos Slim still managed to come in third with 35 billion dollars.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, at number 17, was notable as the only top 20 member to see a net gain. That was not because of his salary, which is a symbolic one dollar a year, but thanks to re-evaluation of Bloomberg financial news agency after the mayor bought a 20 percent stake from Merrill Lynch last year for 4.5 billion dollars.
About 64 percent of the billionaires are self-made and their average age is 63.7, a slight rise resulting from the lower number of rich Russians and Chinese, whose average ages last year were 46 and 48.
By contrast with that aging trend, Gates is a relatively youthful 53. The youngest billionaire prize this year goes to Albert von Thurn und Taxis of Germany, who is 25 and listed as having 2.1 billion dollars. But one of the young success stories from last year -- Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg -- dropped off the list altogether.
1. Of all the billionaires mentioned above, who didn’t lose in the global recession?
A. Bill Gates. B. Warren Buffet.
C. Carlos Slim. D. Michael Bloomberg.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由第五段“New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, at number 17, was notable as the only top 20 member to see a net gain.”可知，排名第十七的Michael Bloomberg是唯一一位前20名富翁中获得净利的，因此他就是在全球经济萧条中没有输的人，故答案为D。
2. The sentence “The biggest news today is that we are here and there still are billionaires” may probably means ______
A. the number of billionares in 2009 is much smaller than that in 2008
B. the number of billionares in 2009 is a bit larger than that in 2008
C. there are many billionaires in America, which is the biggest news today.
D. the biggest news is that many billionaires are at the press conference
答案解析：答案为A。本题为语义理解题。该句话出现在第三段《财富(福布斯)》杂志发言人在记者招待会上的玩笑话，结合第二段的内容 “The wealthy few did not escape big shocks this year, with net worth on the list of 793 billionaires -- down from 1,125 billionaires in 2008 -- plummeting to 2.4 trillion dollars from 4.4 trillion, Forbes said.”可知，发言人指出今年（2009年）有793位亿万富翁，2008年却有1,125位，因此该发言人的言外之意就是2009年的亿万富翁比2008年少了，故答案为A。C选项只是文字的表层意思，D选项与文意完全不符合，均不选。
3. How many billion dollars did the US billionaires lose in 2008 altogether mentioned in the paragraph 4?
A. 18 B. 25 C. 43 D. 50
答案解析：答案为C。本题为数字计算题。题干要求算出第四段中美国的亿万富翁在2008年总共损失多少美元，由第四段可知，Gates损失了18 billion，Warren Buffett损失了25 billion，他们都是美国人，总共是43 billion，故答案为C。第四段提到的第三位虽然也损失了25 billion，但是是墨西哥人，因此他所损失的美元不计入总数。
4. What is the best title of the passage?
A. Self-Made Billionaires B. What Made Billionaires
C. Bill Gates Back on Top Again D. Biggest Gainter and Biggest Loser
答案解析：答案为C。本题要求选择最佳标题。从文章的语言可以看出本文为新闻报道，首段的内容就是该报道的中心内容，故答案为C。
B
The "Earth Hour" initiative(自发行动) started in Australia' s biggest city Sydney last year when an estimated 2. 2 million people flicked the switch --- leaving the Sydney Opera House bathed in moonlight and the Harbor Bridge blacked out.
Organizer Andy Ridley said Sydney ' s 60 minutes of darkness generated huge interest around the world and 23 other cities from the Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and the Middle East had now signed up to be part of the 2008 event.
The eight latest cities to join "Earth Hour" are Atlanta, San Francisco and Phoenix in the US; Thailand's capital Bangkok; Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal in Canada and Dublin in Ireland. They joined Australian cities Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide; Denmark's Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg and Odense; the Philippine capital Manila, Fiji ' s biggest city Suva. Christchurch in New Zealand; Chicago; Tel Aviv and Toronto.
Ridley said he expected the "Earth Hour" concept, which is managed by the conservation group WWF, to extend beyond the borders of these countries on the scheduled start time of 8:00 p. m. local time on Saturday March 29.
“ I think it already has become much bigger," he said. "The idea was that anyone could do it, whether they were in a small village in France or a city like Sydney. "
Ridley said the Sydney event, in which residents were asked to switch off lights and appliances for one hour, had raised awareness about the problem of global warming while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by conserving energy.
"I know that on the night we thought we might be able to cut energy use in the city by five percent but it ended up being 10. 1 percent," he said.
He said he hoped Earth Hour provided a "very big visual message" to politicians that climate change must be addressed quickly.
“The problem is massive but we do make a difference when we all take action," he said.
1. The purpose of the "Earth Hour" activity is _____?.
A. to conserve energy
B. to change the climate
C. to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions
D. to draw people' s attention to the global warming
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节推理题。由第六段 “Ridley said the Sydney event, in which residents were asked to switch off lights and appliances for one hour, had raised awareness about the problem of global warming while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by conserving energy..” 可知，地球日就是人们关灯一小时，此活动已经提高了人们全球气候变暖问题的意识，通过节能的方式来减少温室气体排放，故C选项正确。 A选项 “节能”是方式，D选项 “引起人们对全球气候变暖的关注”，是地球日的影响而不是目的。故答案为C。
2. The underlined word "flick" in paragraph 1 means ______.
A. switch on????? B. switch off??? ????? C. move quickly??? D. hit quickly
答案解析：答案为B。本题为词义猜测题。结合该词出现的上下文 “…when an estimated 2. 2 million people flicked the switch --- leaving the Sydney Opera House bathed in moonlight and the Harbor Bridge blacked out.” 可知，破折号后面的内容是对前面的“flicked the switch”进行解释，让悉尼歌剧院沐浴在月光中，悉尼大桥一片漆黑，可以推断flicked the switch就是关灯。flick 即意为switch off?“关掉”。switch on?意为“打开”，move quickly 意为“迅速移动”，hit quickly意为“迅速打击”，均不符合该词意思。故答案为B。
3. Which city doesn’t join the black-out organization?
A. Bangkok.????? B. Manchester.??????? C. Montreal.?????? D. Brisbane.
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节题。由第三段 “…Thailand's capital Bangkok; Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal in Canada and Dublin in Ireland. They joined Australian cities Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, …”可知， Manchester没有加入该组织。故答案为B。
4. From the passage we can learn that_____?.
A. the black-out activity will have a great effect on climate change
B. the " Earth Hour" initiative first began in the capital of Australia
C. all the countries in the world become interested in the black-out activity
D. the black-out activity has already caught politician' s attention to the climate change
答案解析：答案为A。本题为推理题。由最后一段 ““The problem is massive but we do make a difference when we all take action," he said.”可推断，地球日关灯一小时会对气候变化产生影响， 故答案为A。
由第一段 “The ‘Earth Hour’ initiative started in Australia' s biggest city Sydney last year…” 可知，B选项表述错误，悉尼不是澳大利亚的首都。C选项明显表述错误。由倒数第二段 “He said he hoped Earth Hour provided a ‘very big visual message’ to politicians that climate change must be addressed quickly.”可知，政治家对气候变化的重视是Ridley的希望，D选项与此不符，均不选。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-22
A
There is a saying in France that states, "The government could fall, the Louvre （卢浮宫）could be broken into or creatures from other planets could land on earth, but if any of these things happened during the Tour de France, no one would notice." The Tour de France is the most famous cycling race in the world．It begins in July and runs for three weeks．Cyclists who race in the Tour de France ride in six legs or stages of the race, and they have between one to four days of rest between each leg of the race．The rider who completes all six legs of the race in the shortest overall time wins．
The Tour de France began as a publicity stunt for the French sports newspaper, L’Auto．Hcnri Desgranges, who worked for L’Auto,?came up with the idea for "the greatest bike race in the world, "and on July 1,1903, the first Tour de France began．Sixty cyclists began that first leg of the race which started in front of the Alarm Clock Cafe just outside of Paris．This first leg look them 467 kilometers to Lyon．The first Tour de France received an astonishing 2,000 francs．Maurice Garin, the most popular cyclist in France at that time, won the first Tour de France．It took him 94 hours and 33 minutes to ride all 2,428 kilometers of the race．This time was three hours faster than the second -place rider．Over the weeds during which the race was run, the idea of the Tour de France slowly caught the imagination of the people of France．The race has been run every year since that time, except during the years of World War I and World War Ⅱ．
The Tour de France has developed several special honors for which racers compete．Above all, the highest honor is the "yellow jersey"．Mr．Desgranges introduced the yellow jersey in 1919 to show the leading racer each rider's total time in order to find the racer with the lowest time．That racer wears the yellow jersey during the day's race．Other honors include the "green jersey " which is given to the rider who sprints the best by riding the fastest over short distances, and the "polka dot jersey" for the best rider in the mountains along the route．
1. Who wins the Tour de France?
A. The first cyclist to finish the race．
B. The cyclist with the most points．
C. The cyclist with the polka dot jersey．
D. The cyclist with the shortest overall time．
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由第一段最后一句话 “The rider who completes all six legs of the race in the shortest overall time wins．” 可知，答案为D。
2. Henri Desgranges was_______.
A. a photographer
B. a famous cyclist
C. the man who first won the Tour de France
D. the man who first thought of the Tour de France
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由第二段第二句话 “Hcnri Desgranges, who worked for L’Auto,?came up with the idea for ‘the greatest bike race in the world’, and on July 1,1903, the first Tour de France began．” 可知，D选项正确。
3. How many stages make up the Tour de France?
A．One．????? B．Four．???? C．Six．?????? D．Ten
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节题。由第一段最后一句话 “The rider who completes all six legs of the race in the shortest overall time wins．” 可知，C选项正确。
4. The yellow jersey is worn by____.
A. the fastest daily cyclist??? B. the fastest overall cyclist
C. the youngest cyclist D. the champion from the previous year
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节题。由最后一段 “Mr．Desgranges introduced the yellow jersey in 1919 to show the leading racer each rider's total time in order to find the racer with the lowest time．That racer wears the yellow jersey during the day's race．” 可知，yellow jersey用来表示比赛者用的时间最少，比赛者在比赛当天佩戴此物，故答案为A。
B
A rise in the number of suicides（自杀）in South Korea has led policeman Yoo Byong-jong to a new job. He patrols（巡逻）Seoul’s bridges to prevent desperate people throwing themselves into the river.
According to South Korea’s health ministry, suicide rates have doubled in a decade and are now the leading cause of death for people in their 20s and 30s.
The country has the fourth highest suicide rate among the 30 industrialized countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. It recorded 22.8 suicide deaths for every 100, 000 people in 2003. That's lower than Hungary，Finland and close neighbor Japan . But the number is growing by about 1 percent each year，faster than for all other OECD nations.
In a move to cut suicides by a fifth by 2010，the health ministry is running a television ad campaign. It opens with a lonely man walking on a bridge. A voiceover says，“Think five minutes more before you give it all away...Don't forget you have a loving family.” Other ministry plans include setting up more hotlines and training more suicide counselors. Authorities are also limiting websites that provide suicide methods and sometimes even sell toxic(有毒的)chemicals. Distressed individuals range from students worried about poor grades to people in debt as well as disgraced politicians.
Exports say the rising number in some way can be blamed on media coverage of recent high profile suicides. These include top business leaders and celebrities(名人)who apparently lead a number of people to copy their actions.
“We saved 50 lives this year when people turned to bridges as a place to die after news reports of such deaths by ‘big shots’，” said the 38 year old Yoo，in December.
Last July，the government and civil associations urged media to avoid reporting specific methods and locations of suicides. But it is difficult to clearly give reasons for the suicide increase.
?
1. The passage is mainly about ______.
A. desperation problems in Korea?
B. suicide problems in Korea
C. how to reduce suicides in Korea
D. the relations between life and suicide
答案解析：答案为B。本题为主旨大意题。全文报道了韩国的自杀率问题非常严峻， 当局为抑制自杀采取了一系列的措施，第一段点出话题，最后一段呼应了话题，故答案为B。
2. Suicide rates in South Korea?___________.
A. arouse international concerns
B. are going from bad to worse
C. didn’t draw special attention of the government
D. have done great harm to the economical development
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节题。由第三段最后一句话 “But the number is growing by about 1 percent each year，faster than for all other OECD nations.” 可知，自杀率每年在增长，也就是在变得更糟糕，故答案为B。
3. Lowering the number of reported suicides by celebrities in the media in Korea ______.
A. will be limited
B. damage the fame of media
C. didn't affect people's daily life.
D. might cause fewer people to commit suicide
答案解析：答案为D。本题为推理题。由第五段 “Exports say the rising number in some way can be blamed on media coverage of recent high profile suicides. These include top business leaders and celebrities who apparently lead a number of people to copy their actions.”可知，专家认为自杀人数在上升在某些程度上是归咎于媒体报道的高数据的自杀率，其中包括商业领导要人和名人的自杀引起了人们去效仿他们的行为，可以推断，降低媒体报道的名人自杀人数或许能使较少的人自杀，故答案为D。
4. From the passage, we can infer that_______.
????A. authorities manage websites efficiently
????B. present hotlines are not enough for suicide counselors
????C. cutting suicides by a fifth by 2010 is easy to carry out
D. people choose suicide as the way to end their lives for a lack of love
?答案解析：答案为A。本题为推理题。由第四段倒数第二句话 “Authorities are also limiting websites that provide suicide methods and sometimes even sell toxic chemicals.”可知，当局限制提供自杀方法甚至卖有毒的化学药物的网站，可以推断，当局有效地对网站进行了管理。故答案为A。
由第四段 “Other ministry plans include setting up more hotlines and training more suicide counselors.” 可知，由于自杀者众多，因此要建立更多的热线和培训更多的自杀咨询专员来阻止自杀，B选项意思与此不符。从第四段所实施的阻止自杀的措施来看，减少自杀并不容易实施，故C选项错误。由最后一段最后一句话 “But it is difficult to clearly give reasons for the suicide increase.” 可知，D选项错误。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-23
A
Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family. Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, “Mom, I can’t peel potatoes. I have only one hand.”
Mom never looked up from sewing. “You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes,” she told me. “And don’t ever use that as an excuse for anything again!”
In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod to the next. When it was my turn, I shook my head. Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.
That night I told Mom about it. She hugged me, and I saw her “we’ll see about that” look. The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.
“Now, pull up with your right arm,” she advised. She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other elbow. Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached. I’ll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.
One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing. I could hear Mom come into my room. “Mom,” I said, weeping, “none of the boys would dance with me.”
For a long time, I didn’t hear anything. Then she said, “Oh, honey, someday you’ll be beating those boys off with a bat.” Her voice was faint and cracking. I peeked out from my covers to see tears running down her cheeks. Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf. She had never let me see her tears.
1. Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mom’s attitude when she made the child to peel potatoes?
A. Cruel.???????????? B. Serious.???????????? C. Strict.?????????????????? D. Cold.
答案解析：答案为C。 本题为细节推理题。由第二段妈妈说的话 “And don’t ever use that as an excuse for anything again!”可知，妈妈的话语非常坚定，对孩子要求非常严格，故答案为C。
2. From the passage, we know monkey bars can help a child train ______.
A. the skill to throw and catch things
B. the speed of one’s hand movement
C. the strength and skill to hang and sway
D. the bodily skill to rotate round a bar
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节推理题。由第三段 “…had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod to the next.”可知，monkey bars 要求从一根高铁杠摇荡到另外一根，即训练儿童悬挂和摇荡的力气和技巧，故C选项正确。
3. What does the sentence “I saw her ‘we’ll see about that’ look” imply?
A. Mom believed every aim could be achieved if you stuck to it.
B. The race across monkey bars was not difficult enough for a child to give up.
C. Mom was determined to prove she herself was better than the teacher.
D. What the child had said brought Mom great attraction and curiosity.
答案解析：答案为A。本题为语义理解题。“I saw her ‘we’ll see about that’ look” 出现在第四段，由本句话的下文 “The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.”和第五段 “Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached.”可知，妈妈听说我因为不会monkey bars而遭到其他小朋友的嘲笑，就日复一日带我去练习，对我每一次的成功都给予表扬，可推断，妈妈那脸上的表情表明在她的内心世界里，她认为不论什么只要坚持就可以取得，故答案为A。B选项只是这句话的表层意思，C、D则离题太远。
4. When the child looked down at the kids, they were standing with their mouths open because ______.
A. they felt sorry for what they had done before
B. they were afraid the author might fall off and get hurt
C. they wanted to see what the author would do on the bars
D. they were astonished to find the author’s progress
答案解析：答案D。本题为细节推理题。由第三段 “Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.” 我不会monkey bars 遭到其他小朋友的嘲笑到第五段 “I’ll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.” 我会了monkey bars后，其他小朋友自然会对我的进步和成功而感到惊讶，故答案为D。
5. The most probable conclusion we can draw after reading the passage is ______.
A. the last incident was sad enough to make Mom weep
B. the child’s experience reminded Mom of that of her own
C. Mom could solve any problem except the one in the last paragraph
D. in fact Mom suffered more in the process of the child’s growth
答案解析：答案为D。本题为推理题。由最后一段最后一句话 “Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf. She had never let me see her tears.” 可知，我最后意识到妈妈在我的成长过程中比我承受的痛苦要多得多，但是她从不让我知道，故答案为D。
B
(part of Yanglan’s speech in Beijing’s bid for the 2008 Olympic games)
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen. Good afternoon!
?????? Before I introduce our cultural programs, I want to tell you one thing first about 2008. You're going to have a great time in Beijing.
Many people are fascinated by China’s sport legends(传奇)in history. For example, back to Song Dynasty, about the 11th century, people started to play a game called Cuju, which is regarded as the origin of ancient football. The game was very popular and women were also participating. Now, you will understand why our women football team is so good today.
????? …….
With a concept inspired by the famed Silk Road, our Torch Relay will break new ground, traveling from Olympia through some of the oldest civilizations known to man-Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Byzantine, Mesopotamian, Persian, Arabian, Indian and Chinese. Carrying the message "Share the Peace, Share the Olympics," the eternal flame will reach new heights as it crosses the Himalayas over the world's highest summit - Mount Qomolangma, which is known to many of you as Mt. Everest. In China, the flame will pass through Tibet, cross the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, travel the Great Wall and visit Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and the 56 ethnic communities who make up our society. On its journey, the flame will be seen by and inspire more human beings than any previous relay.
?????? I am afraid I can not present the whole picture of our cultural programs within such a short period of time. Before I end, let me share with you one story. Seven hundred years ago, amazed by his incredible edtions of a far away land of great beauty, people asked Marco Polo whether his stories about China were true. He answered: What I have told you was not even half of what I saw. Actually, what we have shown you here today is only a fraction of Beijing that awaits you.
????????Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that Beijing will prove to be a land of wonders to athletes, spectators(观众) and the worldwide television audience alike. Come and join us.
?????? Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you all.
1. In Yanglan’s speech, she mentioned a game called Cuju, she implied that _____.
A. China is the original country of football. B. China is a country with a long history in sports. C. People in China used to play football well. D. Women in China are good at football.
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节推理题。杨澜提到的蹴鞠运动出现在第三段，它是作为例子来证明该段的主题句 “Many people are fascinated by China’s sport legends in history.” 中国的体育历史悠久，故答案为B。
2. Mt. Everest refers to _____.
A. a person who is known to many people in the world B. Himalayas C. Mount Qomolangma D. the Olympic Torch
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节题。由第四段 “… as it crosses the Himalayas over the world's highest summit - Mount Qomolangma, which is known to many of you as Mt. Everest.” 可知，Mt. Everest就是Mount Qomolangma，故答案为C。
3. Which of the following is not the promise that China will keep to the world? A. Whoever takes part in the Beijing Olympic Games will have a great time in Beijing. B. The flame will be seen by and inspire more human beings than any previous relay. C. The Olynpic Torch will reach the world's highest summit - Mount Qomolangma. D. Marco Polo’s stories will await athletes, spectators and the worldwide television audience.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题，注意题干的 “not ”。由倒数第二段 “Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that Beijing will prove to be a land of wonders to athletes, spectators and the worldwide television audience alike.” 可知，北京对于运动员，观众和世界上所有电视台的观众将会充满了奇迹，故可推断A选项符合文意。由第四段最后一句话 “On its journey, the flame will be seen by and inspire more human beings than any previous relay.” 可知，B选项符合文意。由第四段 “the eternal flame will reach new heights as it crosses the Himalayas over the world's highest summit - Mount Qomolangma, which is known to many of you as Mt. Everest.” 可知，C选项符合文意。
由第五段 “He answered: What I have told you was not even half of what I saw. Actually, what we have shown you here today is only a fraction of Beijing that awaits you.”可知，马可波罗的回答是告诉人们，他所写的故事只是他看到的很少的一部分，实际上，中国还有很多等待世界的人们去了解，故D选项“马可波罗的故事将会等待运动员，观众和世界上所有电视台的观众”错误。故答案为D。
4. Marco Polo ‘s answer meant that ______ A. what he wrote was half better than what he saw. B. he was interested in half of what he had seen. C. he was not able to describe the beauty of the faraway land. D. there were so many true stories that he could only tell part of them.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节推理题。结合上题对D选项的分析可知，马可波罗的话是在强调中国的故事太多了，他只描述了很少的一部分，故答案为D。 干扰项最强的C选项 “他不能描述远方大陆的美”不是马可波罗所说的侧重点，故错误。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-24
A
NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce , or possibly erase(抹去), the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it. Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
"Some memories can ruin people's lives . They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "This could relieve a lot of that suffering."
But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity (特质). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
"All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we want to wipe those memories out, "said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist(论理学家).
Some people fear that although the drug would first be uesed in only very serious cases, it would become more and more common. “ People always have the ability to misuse science,” said Joseph Le Doux, a New York University memory researcher.” All we want to do is to help people have better control of memories.”
1. What’s the main idea of this passage?
A People often suffer from bad memories.
B American researchers are trying to develop a pill.
C Forget bad memories, and be happy.
D The researh has caused a heated argument.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为主旨大意题。第一段引出话题人们想忘记痛苦的回忆，第二、三段介绍科学家研究可以消除痛苦回忆的药物，该研究引起了人们的激烈争论，有人支持，有人反对，文章的重心着重于人们的争论，文章的大意就是“研究引起了激烈的争论”。 故答案为D。
2. The underlinded word “ it “ in Para 4 refers to _______
A the new drug B the research into the drug
C the bad memory D the chemical drug
答案解析：答案为B。本题为词义推理题。结合划线的 “it” 出现的语境 “The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.” 可以推断，“it”指代的是“the research”，再结合前面第二、三段的内容可知，“it”指代的是对药物的研究，故答案为B。
3. Which of the opinions is NOT the opinion of the supporters?
A The pill can erase all the memories of the past
B Some memories can ruin people’s lives. The pill can relieve emotional suffering.
C The pill can also help many other types of people who suffer from terrible memories.
D The pill can prevent or treat troubling memories in soldiers after war.
答案解析：答案为A。 本题为细节题。由第四段 “Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.” 和第五段 “Some memories can ruin people's lives . They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions,” 可知，B、C、D选项是支持者的意见。
A选项 “药物可以抹去所有过去的回忆”表达有误。故答案为A。
4. Which of the opinion is not the opinion of the opponents?
A Our memories give us our identity.
B The memories help human avoid mistakes of the past.
C The drug should be used in only very serious cases.
D People may not be sure whether they want to wipe the memories out.
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节题。由第六、七段可知，A、B、D选项都是反对者的意见。由最后一段首句 “ Some people fear that although the drug would first be uesed in only very serious cases…”可知，C选项是文中的一个事实，不是反对者的意见，故答案为C。
B
Maggie was very glad that James was not a frequent visitor to the house. So far as the children were concerned, they had a mystery about him that stirred their imagination. He stirred Maggie’s anger, however, so that she often said to her husband, “It’s mercy that brother of yours doesn’t come often.”
In fact James came once a year, unexpectedly, around eight o’clock in the evening, and he stayed for six hours of close discussion with his brother. His arrival was a signal to the children that their bedtime would be delayed. Not that he ever spoke to them or played with them. He took no notice of them, as if he was unable to see children, at least until the time came for him to go. Instead, after his first greeting and a careless kiss, James took no notice of Maggie either, except to add, “You’ll be getting on with the supper, Maggie.” Such was his regard for her.
Maggie paid him back in her own way. She kept the children up, the four of them, to keep her company, she said, but of course they sang and made a noise and broke the endless sound of James’s voice. Very late, they dropped off to sleep in their chairs. Then, when James was about to go, Maggie woke them up and so more or less forced him to part with four shillings before he left. That gave her some satisfaction, for James, though rich, was mean. He always went home by the last train, just after two o’clock.
Maggie’s children secretly stared at their uncle. They could not forget that he had, in their mother’s words, “lost two wives and taken a third, ” They wondered about those two unfortunate lost ladies. They asked each other what their fate had been, and if neither could ever be found again. James never brought his third wife with him nor ever mentioned her. The children decided that he must be so frightened of losing her that he never allowed her outside the door.
1. The underlined word “mercy” in the text most probably means _______.
A. loss??????????????????????????????? B. wonder
C. lucky thing????????????????????? D. terrible thing
答案解析：答案为C。本题为词义猜测题。由第一段的内容可知，Maggie非常高兴James不常来她家，James的到来只会让Maggie生气，于是她对她丈夫说：“你的弟弟不常来真是一件不错的事情。” 故 “mercy” 意思就是 “lucky thing(幸运事)”。故答案为C。
2. Maggie never prepared anything special for James because _______.
A. he was a man difficult to please
B. she never knew when he was coming
C. she was too busy looking after her children
D. he never stayed long enough for a meal
答案解析：答案为B。本题为推理题。文中虽没有提及Maggie从不为James 准备特别的东西，但是可以根据文中第二段首句 “In fact James came once a year, unexpectedly, around eight o’clock in the evening…” 推断，James一年只来一次，而且是没有预料地到来，所以Maggie从不为James 准备特别的东西。故答案为B。
3. What do we know about James’ behavior?
A. He was a kind man, with love for the family.
B. He was generous, especially towards his brother.
C. He was anxious to please the family, especially the kids.
D. He was rude to his sister-in-law.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为推理题。由第二段后面的内容 “Instead, after his first greeting and a careless kiss, James took no notice of Maggie either, except to add, “You’ll be getting on with the supper, Maggie.” Such was his regard for her.” 可知James 不注意Maggie，除了说一句问候的话，可以推断，他对他的嫂子非常粗鲁，故答案为D。
4. Maggie felt pleased when _______.
A. she paid James the money that she owed him
B. James gave some money to the children
C. she had to wake James up to catch his train
D. James thanked her for the nice supper
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节推理题。由第三段 “Then, when James was about to go, Maggie woke them up and so more or less forced him to part with four shillings before he left. That gave her some satisfaction, for James, though rich, was mean.”可知，当James要离开的时候，Maggie把孩子们唤醒，或多或少地逼James给四个先令的钱孩子们，这才让她感到些许满意，因为James虽然有钱但是非常小气。 故答案为B。
5. The children did not realize that two of James’ wives _______.
A. had been dead??????????????????????? B. suffered from loss of memory
C. had run away from him?????????? D. might appear again one day
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节推理题。由最后一段 “Maggie’s children secretly stared at their uncle. They could not forget that he had, in their mother’s words, “lost two wives and taken a third, ” They wondered about those two unfortunate lost ladies. They asked each other what their fate had been, and if neither could ever be found again.” 可知，Maggie对孩子们说James失去了两位妻子，又娶了第三个，但是孩子们却想知道那两位不幸的妻子，他们彼此讨论两位妻子的命运是怎样的，是不是都找不到了。可以推断，孩子们并不知道James的两位妻子已经死去。故答案为A。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-25
A
I was helping in my son’s classroom when I spotted a poster that reads, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can break my heart”. I started thinking.
Teachers are such an important part of a child’s life. A teacher’s support determines how safe a child feels in school. His inspiration determines how much risk a child will take in the classroom, his understanding determines how important a child feels in school and his love determines a child’s motivating and attitude toward education. And the effect a teacher has on a child doesn’t end when the school bell rings at the end of the day. Rather, those feelings developed in the classroom go home with the child and, in a large part, determine what sort of evening the child and the family have. The importance of a teacher to a child is fantastic and cannot be over-emphasized.
All my children are fortunate to have remarkable teachers. Consequently, the three of them love going to school almost as much as they love using teacherisms. For example, one of Hannah’s favorite phrases in used when I mess up. She looks at me with understanding and says, “It’s okay to make mistakes, mama, because you’re only learning.” Rachael’s favorite phrase is used to start most of her jobs; with a glow in her eye, she says, “I’m just going to do my best, mama, because that’s all I can do!” But perhaps my favorite is Jacob’s response to his sisters when one of them says something he doesn’t like. With his hand on his heart he says, “Don’t say that because words can break my heart.”
Like most parents, I hear teacherisms daily. And every time I hear one, my heart floods with gratefulness for the wonderful teachers who make my children feel safe, important, and successful in the classroom, and who are helping my children achieve emotional good health. There is much talk today how to measure a teacher’s worth. I think we need only look at the students. Children mirror teachers’ words and actions, and the content of those reflections shows teacher’s greatness.
1. Teachers are important to students in that .
A. they equip them with book knowledge
B. they help free the parents from worries
C. they guarantee each family a happy evening
D. they help keep them emotionally healthy
答案解析：答案为D。 本题为细节题。由第二段 “Teachers are such an important part of a child’s life. A teacher’s support determines how safe a child feels in school. His inspiration determines how much risk a child will take in the classroom, his understanding determines how important a child feels in school and his love determines a child’s motivating and attitude toward education.” 可知，老师对学生重要是因为老师帮助学生保持精神的健康。故答案为D。
2. The three children’s examples are used to show that .
A. they are lucky to have wonderful teachers
B. they can eventually develop into good teachers
C. they are sometimes mentally hurt by the teachers
D. they have a successful performance in school
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节推理题。作者用自己三个孩子的例子是为了证明第三段的首句也就是该段的主题句 “All my children are fortunate to have remarkable teachers.” 意为“我的孩子非常幸运，（在学校里）有非常了不起的老师。A选项意思与此符合，故答案为A。
3. To his mother, what the boy says possibly sounds .
A. ridiculous B. convincing C. humorous D. inspiring
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节推理题。由第三段可知，作者前面提到的两个孩子是女孩，最后一个孩子是男孩，由该段后面的内容 “But perhaps my favorite is Jacob’s response to his sisters when one of them says something he doesn’t like. With his hand on his heart he says, ‘Don’t say that because words can break my heart.’”可知，作者最喜欢的是他的儿子Jacob在姐姐们说了他不喜欢的话后所说的话，他把一只手放在自己的胸口说：“别那样说哦，因为话能伤害我的心。” 从作者的用词“favorite”和他儿子的言谈举止我们可以推断一个小孩讲那样的话显得非常幽默，故答案为C。A选项 “ridiculous” 意为 “可笑的，荒谬的”； B选项“convincing” 意为 “令人信服的”；D选项 “inspiring” 意为 “令人鼓舞的”，均不符合题意。
4. The underlined word “teacherisms” probably refers to “ ”.
A. how teachers normally deal with their students
B. what teachers usually say to their students
C. why teachers seem important to their students
D. where teachers agree with their students
答案解析：答案为B。本题为词义猜测题。由 “teacherisms” 所在的语境 “All my children are fortunate to have remarkable teachers. Consequently, the three of them love going to school almost as much as they love using teacherisms.” 可知，作者提到自己的孩子非常幸运，在学校里有非常了不起的老师，结果，三个孩子都喜欢上学就像他们喜欢用teacherisms一样。接下来作者用三个孩子所说的话作为例子，这些话显得非常成熟，它们明显来自老师平时在学校里对他们所说的，故答案为B。
B
Just be happy. Sounds too simplistic, doesn’t it? But, in reality, we can have much more happiness if we choose to consider things from a positive point of view. Everyone experiences the ups and downs of life, however, we can make a decision to take advantage of the negative or pratice what the old saying says to do：“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!”
It really boils down to your attitude and you have the ability to work your attitude into any shape you like. Here are some tips:
●Ignore those who tell you life is too difficult to be happy. what do they know?
●When you awaken each morning, be thankful for another day, even if it’s raining.
●Smile at those you meet, even if they don’t return the favor.
● Don’t borrow trouble. Each day has enough of its own.
●Don’t allow trouble to bury you in its gray depth of sorrow.
●Don’t give in to negative thinking.
●Be positive even when others are not.
●Refuse to give up on anything worth having or doing.
●Do something you enjoy each day, even if it’s just a walk in your neighborhood.
● Whistle as you go though the day.
●Work at being happy because it’s worth it.
You’re human, like everyone else, and from time to time you need a little pick-me-up in your decision to be happy. When you reach that stage, find someone else who has decided to be happy. Join forces with him and march forward in your decision to be a happy person. Simply speaking, a happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.
Choose today to just be happy----as much as it depends on you!
1. The amount of happiness depends on .
A. the ups and downs you’ve experienced
B. what attitude you take towards life
C. how simple a life you manage to live
D. the kind of environment you stay in
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节题。由第一段 “But, in reality, we can have much more happiness if we choose to consider things from a positive point of view.”可知，如果我们从积极的角度考虑问题，我们就能获得更多的快乐，故答案为B“幸福取决于你对生活的态度”。
2. The underlined sentence advises us to .
A. work hard for a comfortable life B. drink lemonade when in difficulty
C. make the best of what we have D. ignore the negative side of life
答案解析：答案为C。本题为语义理解题。结合划线句子前面的内容 “Everyone experiences the ups and downs of life, however, we can make a decision to take advantage of the negative or pratice what the old saying says to do”可知，人在经历坡坡坎坎的时候，要利用消极面去生活，把消极转化为积极，这样我们才能快乐，因此作者说“生活给了我们柠檬，就把它做成柠檬水”，故答案为C “最好地利用我们所拥有的”。
3. Which of the following doesn’t help maintain your good state of mind?
A. Think in advance about future troubles.
B. Greet others with a cheerful smile.
C. Stay positive all the way through.
D. Try to enjoy every single moment.
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节题。由文中作者所给的保持快乐的第四条建议 “Don’t borrow trouble. Each day has enough of its own.（不要借明天的烦恼，每天的烦恼够多了）”可知，A选项“提前思考未来的烦恼”不利于保持好心情，故答案A符合题意。
4. The best title for the passage might be “ ”.
A. Don’t lose heart
B. Share your happiness
C. Live a simple life
D. Let’s cheer ourselves up
答案解析：答案为D。本题考查文章的标题。文章第一段告诉我们要以乐观的态度去生活，才会保持快乐，中间内容给出了保持快乐的建议，最好一段重申主题“保持快乐”，故答案为D“让我们高兴起来”。
