2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-26
A
Sure, human dads can play catch and help with homework, but can they give birth? Daddy sea horses can! This Father’s Day, while you’re showing respect to your dad, remember some of the best dads in the world can also be found in the animal kingdom.
Sea Horses: The "Mr. Moms" of the marine world, male sea horses, carry up to 2,000 fertilized eggs in pouches in their stomachs until they hatch. Even after the babies are born, they stay inside the pouch until they are ready to venture out on their own.
Microhylid Frogs: Buy these dads a "Baby on Board" sign to put on their backs! These froggy fathers from New Guinea play piggyback once their babies hatch from their eggs. One by one, the dad lets as many as 24 froglets climb onto his back for a family road trip. He hops about 50 feet each night, and one by one, his kids jump off along the way to begin new lives of their own.
Darwin's Rheas: Thought your dad was overprotective? Darwin's rhea, also known as South American ostriches（鸵鸟）, are so protective of their children that they routinely rush cowboys on horseback and have even been known to attack small airplanes on the ground if they get too close to their brood!
Marmosets: These little monkeys do everything but Lamaze class（心理助产课）! Dedicated dads assist during labor by biting off the umbilical cord（脐带）and cleaning up the afterbirth. They also let Mom get some R&R（rest & recreation）by taking care of the kids when they're not nursing.
Sand Grouse: Talk about sponging off Dad! These pigeon-like birds live in areas where water is sparse, so fathers fly as many as 50 miles to get water for their kids. After they soak up the water in their breast feathers, they fly home and let their chicks suckle the moisture from their bodies.
Fathers of the animal kingdom are not that different from our own beloved dads. This Father's Day, when you are honoring your dad, honor animal dads, too, by practicing kindness and compassion toward all animals.
1. The passage is mainly written to .
A. introduce to us some unusual animals
B. distinguish between human and animal dads
C. raise our awareness of animal protection
D. praise animal dada for their sacrifices
答案解析：答案为C。本题考查文章的写作目的。第一段引入动物世界也有最好的“爸爸”，中间段落介绍了这些动物爸爸如何精心照顾他们的幼崽，最后一段号召人们爱护动物，保护动物，点出文章的中心，也是本文的写作目的， 故C选项“提高我们的动物保护意识”符合题意。
2. Among these animal dads, which have the ability to fly?
A. Microhylid Frogs. B. Sea Horses.
C. Darwin’s Rheas. D. Sand Grouses.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由倒数第二段 “Sand Grouse: Talk about sponging off Dad! These pigeon-like birds live in areas where water is sparse, so fathers fly as many as 50 miles to get water for their kids.”可知，D选项为正确答案。
3. What these animals have in common is that .
A. they carry their young to wherever they please
B. they’re all devoted to their children
C. they’re overprotective of their children
D. they help their wives clean up the afterbirth
答案解析：答案为B。本题为推理题。全文介绍了动物爸爸如何照顾他们的幼崽， 这些动物的共同之处就是他们都热爱自己的孩子，全心全意地照顾自己的孩子，故答案为B。
4. When Microhylid Frogs play piggyback, they .
A. let their kids ride on their back B. attack cowboys with their back
C. carry their babies inside a pouch D. help their wife during the labor
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节题。由第三段 “Microhylid Frogs: …One by one, the dad lets as many as 24 froglets climb onto his back for a family road trip.”可知，Microhylid Frogs让孩子们骑在他们的背上。故答案为A。
B
About 70 scientists were working on a very busy project. All of them felt really desperate due to the pressure of work and the demands of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did not think of quitting their job.
One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him, “Sir, I’ve promised to take my children to the exhibition going on in our township so I want to leave at 5:30 p. m.” His boss replied, “OK. You’re permitted to leave the office early today.”
The scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual, he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch only when he felt he was close to completion. The time was 8:30 p. m. suddenly he remembered his promise to the children. He looked for his boss but he was not there. Having told him in the morning himself, he closed everything and left for home. Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children. He reached home. The children were not there. His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines. The situation was explosive; any talk would boomerang on him. His wife asked him, “Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry?” The man replied, “If you would like to have coffee, I too will have but what about the children?” His wife replied, “You don’t know? Your boss came here at 5:15 p. m. and has taken them to the exhibition.”
What had really happened was the boss who gave him permission was observing him working seriously at 5:00 p. m. He thought to himself: this person will not leave the work, but he’s promised to take his children to the exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them there. The boss does not have to do it every time. But once it’s done, loyalty is established.
That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss even though the stress was extraordinarily huge. By the way , can you boldly guess who the boss was? He was none other that the mastermind behind India’s successful nuclear weapons program, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former president of India.
1. The scientist asked for an early leave because .
A. he felt increasingly desperate about his work
B. he meant to accompany his wife at dinner
C. the task at hand was close to completion
D. he’d promised to take his kids to a show
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由第二段科学家对他老板说的话 “I’ve promised to take my children to the exhibition going on in our township so I want to leave at 5:30 p. m.” 可知，答案为D。
2. The underlined sentence implies that the scientist thought his wife was .
A. dissatisfied with his coming home late
B. ready to serve dinner for him
C. grateful to his kind-hearted boss
D. delighted to see him back home
答案解析：答案为A。本题为语义理解题。结合划线句子的上下文，科学家专注于工作，忘记了带孩子去看演出，回到家感到非常愧疚，可是孩子们并不在家，只有妻子一个人坐在客厅读杂志，作者用句子. “The situation was explosive; any talk would boomerang on him.” 来描述此时科学家内心的活动“情况非常糟糕，他一开口谈话必然会遭到妻子的责骂”， 因此划线部分的句子暗示科学家认为他的妻子对他的晚归非常不满意，故答案为A。
3. The boss took children to the exhibition .
A. when it was too late for the scientist to do so
B. because the scientist was absorbed in his work
C. because he also wanted to see what was on show
D. when the man’s wife asked him to do so
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节题。由倒数第二段 “He thought to himself: this person will not leave the work, but he’s promised to take his children to the exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them there.”可知，老板带科学家的孩子去看演出是因为时间到了的时候科学家仍然专注于自己的工作，故答案为B。
4. All the scientists stayed loyal to their boss .
A. out of gratefulness for his thoughtfulness
B. because he had power over them
C. to learn how to live under pressure
D. every time he took the children to the show
答案解析：答案为A。本题为推理题。由倒数第二段最后两句话 “The boss does not have to do it every time. But once it’s done, loyalty is established.” 和最后一段首句 “That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss even though the stress was extraordinarily huge.” 可知，科学家忠实于他们的老板是因为老板体贴关心他们，因此科学家感激老板，不论压力多大也愿意为老板工作，故答案为A。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-27
A
An overweight, middle-aged man lies dead on a trolley, with a woman weeping over his body. The body' s cold hand still grasps a half-eaten McDonald ’ s hamburger. American doctors‘ TV ad features the image which weakens the slightest of appetites and the line ’ I was lovin ’ it ’
The hard-hitting US television commercial supported by a Washington-based medical group has angered McDonald ’ s by taking an unusually direct shot at the world ’ s biggest fast-food chain this week. The line is a twist on McDonald’ s long-standing advertising slogan, "I'm lovin’ it” and a voiceover intones：“High cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks. Tonight, make it vegetarian.”
The commercial，funded by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine ( PCRM ) goes further than most non-profit advertising and has drawn an angry reaction from both the Chicago-based hamburger multinational and the broader restaurant industry.
The National Restaurant Association criticised it as "irresponsible" and said it was an attempt to scare the public with a ‘‘limited” view of nutrition. A McDonald’ s spokesman said：‘‘This commercial is unbearable, misleading and unfair to all consumers. McDonald ’ s trusts our customers to make food and lifestyle choices that are right for them. ”
The commercial，to be aired at the beginning in the Washington area but potentially in fuither US cities, comes amid an increasingly lively debate in the US about healthy eating. The first lady, Michelle Obamarhas made nutrition a signature issue and is leading a campaign to encourage physical fitness and improved diets ------- particularly among American children，a third of whom are overweight.
The economic decline has hardly helped the healthy eating cause. McDonald ’ s has enjoyed a relatively prosperous financial crisis as diners choose its affordable offerings in place of more expensive high-street restaurants. Its global profits for the six months to June were up 12% to $ 2. 3billion, powered by sales rises both in the United States and Britain.
The PCRM’ s director of nutrition education, Susan Levin, made no apologies for singling out the golden arches(拱门)： “ McDonald' s is one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world. Its name and its golden arches are instantly recognisable. We feel we ’ re making a point about all fast food when we talk about McDonald ’ s. ”
1. The ad-maker makes a change in the McDonald ’ s slogan _________.
A. to warn people of risk of eating fast food
B. to convince people of cause of the death
C. to remind people of the man’ s preference
D. to accuse the McDonald’ s of the murder
答案解析：答案为A。由第二段 “The line is a twist on McDonald’ s long-standing advertising slogan, "I'm lovin’ it” and a voiceover intones: ‘High cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks. Tonight, make it vegetarian.’”可知，广告商对麦当劳的标语进行了改变是因为麦当劳的食物含有高胆固醇，它还会导致高血压，心脏病，因此广告商们警告人们吃麦当劳食物的危险，故答案为A。D选项“控告麦当劳谋杀”夸大了广告商的意图，故不选。
2. The goal of this passage is to tell us that__________.
A. the TV commercial goes too far
B. people enjoy eating fast food for its taste
C. Michelle Obama’ s campaign doesn' t work
D. McDonald' s provides unhealthy food
答案解析：答案为D。本题考查文章的写作目的。文章第一、二段介绍了广告商对麦当劳的标语进行了改变，意在警告人们麦当劳食物的危险性，后面的内容介绍了这样的广告惹怒了麦当劳和快餐饮食业，然而这种非盈利的广告还是得到了公众的支持，并且美国第一夫人Michelle Obama也在健康饮食运动中签字，最后一段重申了PCRM总会长Susan Levin的意见，对于打击麦当劳没有任何歉意，快餐食品危害人们的健康。因此，本文的写作目的就是告诉人们麦当劳的食物不健康。A、B、C都与写作目的无关，故不选。
3. “The golden arches” in the last paragraph refers to _________.
A. the line B. the ad C. McDonald' s D. fast food
答案解析：答案为C。本题为词义猜测题。由最后一段“the golden arches（金色的拱门）”后面的内容 “McDonald' s is one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world. Its name and its golden arches are instantly recognisable.”可知，“The golden arches”指代的是麦当劳，故答案为C。
4. What is the theme of the passage?
A. A fierce debate about healthy eating
B. McDonald ’ s targeted in US health ad
C. A US health ad advocates healthy life
D. Say goodbye to McDonald' s right now
答案解析：答案为B。本题考查文章的主题。结合第2题的分析可知，本文的主题是围绕麦当劳成为美国健康饮食广告的打击对象而展开，故答案为B。
B
For much of the world, vegetarianism (素食主义) is largely a matter of economics: Meat costs a lot more than beans or rice, so meat becomes a special-occasion dish. Even where meat is more plentiful, it’s still used in control, and it often provides a side note to a meal rather than taking center stage.
In countries like the United States where meat is not as expensive, though, people choose to be vegetarians for reasons other than cost. Parental preferences, religious or other beliefs, and health problems are among the most common reasons for choosing to be a vegetarian. Many people choose a vegetarian diet out of concern over animal rights or the environment. And lots of people have more than one reason for choosing vegetarianism.
Different people follow different forms of vegetarianism. A true vegetarian eats no meat at all, including chicken and fish. A lactoovo vegetarian eats dairy products (乳制品) and eggs, but keeps out meat, fish, and chicken. It follows, then, that a lacto vegetarian eats dairy products but not eggs, and an ovo vegetarian eats eggs but not dairy products.
A stricter form of vegetarianism is veganism. Not only are eggs and dairy products excluded (排除) from a vegan diet, so are animal products like honey. Some macrobiotic (养生的) diets fall into the vegan category. Macrobiotic diets limit not only animal products but also refined and processed foods, foods with preservatives, and foods that contain caffeine or other stimulants (刺激物).
Following a macrobiotic or vegan diet could lead to nutritional deficiencies (营养不足) in some people. Teens need to be sure their diets include enough nutrients to fuel growth, particularly protein and calcium. If you’re interested in following a vegan or macrobiotic diet it’s a good idea to talk to a registered dietitian. He or she can help you design meal plans that include enough nutrients.
1. The underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably means ______.
A. there is usually a note beside the meat in a meal
B. meat often attracts people’s attention in a meal
C. meat is served only a small amount in a meal
D. meat should play an important part in a meal
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 “Even where meat is more plentiful, it’s still used in control” 可知，甚至是肉非常多的地方，人们仍然控制肉的进食量，因此肉在饮食中只是 “a side note” 而不是“center stage.”，因此划线句子意思是肉在饮食中只占少量，故答案为C。
2. Which of the following is NOT the reason for Americans being vegetarians?
A. They are environmentally friendly.
B. They are concerned about the rights of animals.
C. They worry about their own health.
D. They can’t afford to buy meat.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由第二段 “In countries like the United States where meat is not as expensive, though, people choose to be vegetarians for reasons other than cost.” 可知，除了因为肉的花费原因外.，美国人选择素食有诸多原因。故答案为D。
3. A vegan diet will include ______.
A. neither animal products nor diary products
B. diary products but no eggs
C. animal products like honey
D. processed food
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节题。由倒数第二段 “A stricter form of vegetarianism is veganism. Not only are eggs and dairy products excluded from a vegan diet, so are animal products like honey.”可知，vegan diet里排除了eggs and dairy products，还排除了animal products ，故答案为A。
4. According to the passage, the author would probably think that ______.
A. all the people should become vegetarians
B. teens should be careful to be vegetarians
C. vegetarianism is not a good thing for the world
D. vegetarianism can make a country develop faster
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节推理题。由最后一段可知，素食有可能导致营养不良，特别是青少年处于生长发育，饮食要有足够的营养，如果青少年对素食感兴趣，应该咨询营养学家，因此作者认为青少年应该对变成素食主义者非常小心，故答案为B。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-28
A
1. Myth: Skipping meals (不吃饭) helps you lose weight fast.
Truth: There’s no truth in this advice.Not only will you not lost weight by starving yourself, but according to Carol Ann Rinzler, this may actually cause you to gain weight. Rinzler reasons that missing a meal causes your metabolism(新陈代谢) to slow down so that you burn food more slowly. This only makes you feel hungrier and by the time you finally do reach the table you will probably eat more food. Strange as it may seem, studies show that eating several small meals and snacks throughout the day is a more healthy way to lose pounds.
2. Myth: If you swallow (吞下) gum (口香糖)，it will stay inside your stomach for seven years.
Truth: Actually, it takes just a few days for gum to make its exit---not seven years, says Nei Izenberg, M. D., editor of Kids Health Organization. But because gum is made of the same thing as rubber, it cannot be fully digested (消化) in your stomach--- so if you gum up the works on a regular (经常的) basis, you might find yourself in a sticky situation.
3. Myth: The best way to stop a nosebleed is to lift your head back.
Truth: Now that’s bad advice. Bloody noses are caused by broken blood vessels (血管), so while lifting your head back might stop the fluid from rushing out of your nose, it won’t stop the bleeding; you’ll just end up swallowing lots of blood. Your best bet? “Rest quietly. Don’t poke or pick, and the blood will naturally clot (凝结) within a minute or two”. Suggests Dr. Izenberg.
4. Myth: Cutting your hair will make it grow long faster.
Truth: That’s not true. “Your hair isn’t like a lawn or a rosebush, where cutting can stimulate (刺激) fresh growth,” says Phillip Kingsley. The length of your hair is genetically ( 遗传地) determined.When it reaches a certain length, it stops growing. When you clear up the dead split ends, this make your hair look healthier, but not necessarily longer.
1. According to Carol Ann Rinzler, skipping meals will __________.
A. help you lose weight fast B. help you lose weight slowly
C. cause you to become fatter D. make you burning food more quickly
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节题。由第一部分 “Not only will you not lost weight by starving yourself, but according to Carol Ann Rinzler, this may actually cause you to gain weight.”可知，Carol Ann Rinzler认为不吃饭不仅不会减肥，反而会增肥，故答案为C。
2. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A.Gum cannot be fully digested in the stomach
B. Gum can leave your stomach after you swallow is a few days later
C. If you often swallow gum, you might find yourself in a sticky situation
D.Gum can stay inside your stomach for seven years if you swallow it
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由第二部分 “Actually, it takes just a few days for gum to make its exit---not seven years”可知，实际上，口香糖几天后就会排出体外，而不是在人体内呆七年，故答案为D。
3. When your nose bleeds, you’d better __________.
A. lift your head back B. poke it
C. rest quietly D. pick it
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节题。由第三部分 “Rest quietly. Don’t poke or pick, and the blood will naturally clot within a minute or two”. 可知，答案为C。
4. The lengh of your hair is determined by ________
A. clearing up the dead split ends B. your gene
C. cutting it often D. the food you eat
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节题。由第四部分 “The length of your hair is genetically determined.”可知，答案为B。
B
One night I was sitting in my room half – listening as my 15 year – old brother fought with my 12 year – old brother Kevin. I didn’t pay attention when Kevin rushed up the stairs with the hurt on his face.
About 20 minutes later, as I was walking upstairs I heard Kevin crying inside the bathroom. I knocked on the door and asked, “Hey Kevin, do you want to talk?”
No response. I tried again, “Why don’t you come out of there?”
Again, no response.
So, joking around, I grabbed a stack of index cards and a pencil and wrote, “If you don’t want to talk, we can write notes to each other.”
An hour later I was still sitting on the floor outside the bathroom with two stacks of index cards in front of me. One was blank and one was cars from Kevin on which he had translated all his yucky feelings into words for me. As I read one of Kevin’s notes, tears came to my eyes. It said, “Nobody in this family cares about me. I’m not the youngest, and I’m not the oldest, and I’m not talented. Tommy thinks I’m stupid and Dad wishes he had the other Kevin as a kid because he’s better at basketball. And you’re never around to even notice me.”
Tears came to my eyes again as I wrote back to him. “You know Kevin, I really do love you and I’m sorry I don’t always show it. I am here for you and you are loved in this family.”
There was no response for a while, but then I heard a tearing sound coming from inside the bathroom. Kevin, who had run out of index cards wrote on a torn – up paper cup, “Thanks.”
I wrote back “For what?” It returned to me with “Loving me” written on it. Since then, I try my best never to half – notice my family members anymore. Kevin and I have closer relationship now, and sometimes when one of us notices that the other is upset we’ll smile and say “Write it on a paper cup.”
1. Why did Kevin stay inside the bathroom alone crying?
A. Because he lost in the fight with Tommy.
B. Because the author didn’t help him win Tommy.
C. Because he felt no love from the family members.
D. Because he hurt him when rushing up the stairs.
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节推理题。由第六段Kevin写在索引卡上的内容 “Nobody in this family cares about me. I’m not the youngest, and I’m not the oldest, and I’m not talented. Tommy thinks I’m stupid and Dad wishes he had the other Kevin as a kid because he’s better at basketball. And you’re never around to even notice me.” 可知，Kevin一个人呆在浴室里哭是因为他觉得家里没人关心他，他感受不到爱，故答案为C。
2. The underlined word “yucky” (Para.6) most probably means “ ”.
A. unpleasant B. exciting C. doubtful D. frightening
答案解析：答案为A。本题为词义猜测题。“yucky”修饰的词语是“feelings”，根据后面的Kevin写在索引卡上的内容可知，这些情感都是不愉快的，故答案为A。
3. What could be the reason that Kevin’s Dad doesn’t like him?
A. Kevin likes fighting with others.
B. Kevin is not good at playing basketball.
C. Kevin doesn’t want to talk to others.
D. Kevin is not talented as his brother.
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节题。由第六段Kevin写在索引卡上的内容 “…and Dad wishes he had the other Kevin as a kid because he’s better at basketball. ...” 可知，答案为B。
4. What did the author learn from the incident?
A. It’s hard to comfort young brothers at home.
B. It’s dangerous to half – notice someone in the family.
C. It’s important for family members to show their love.
D. The best way to communicate with family members is by writing.
答案解析：答案为C。本题为推理题。由倒数第三段 “Tears came to my eyes again as I wrote back to him. ‘You know Kevin, I really do love you and I’m sorry I don’t always show it. I am here for you and you are loved in this family.’”和最后一段 “It returned to me with ‘Loving me’ written on it.”可知，作者从这个事情中意识到，对孩子们的爱要表现出来非常重要，故答案为C。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-29
A
For many years, I was convinced that my suffering was due to my size. I believed that when the weight disappeared, it would take old wounds, hurts, and rejections with it.
Many weight – conscious people also mistakenly believe that changing our bodies will fix everything. Perhaps our worst mistake is believing that being thin equals being loved, being special, and being cherished. We fantasize about what it will be like when we reach the long – awaited goal. We work very hard to realize this dream. Then, at last, we find ourselves there.
But we often gain back what we have lost. Even so, we continue to believe that next time it will be different. Next time, we will keep it off. Next time, being thin finally fulfill its promise of everlasting happiness, self – worth, and, of course, love.
It took me a long while to realize that there was something more for me to learn about beauty. Beauty standards vary with culture. In Samoa a woman is not considered attractive unless she weighs more than 200 pounds. More importantly, if it’s happiness that we want, why not put our energy there rather than on the size of our body? Why not look inside? Many of us try hard to change our body, but in vain. We have to find a way to live comfortably inside our body and make friends with and cherish ourselves. When we change our attitudes toward ourselves, the whole world changes.
1. The passage seems to emphasize the importance of .
A. body size B. attitudes toward life
C. cultural differences D. different beauty standards
答案解析：答案为B。本题考查文章的主旨大意。文章前面的内容介绍了作者减肥的痛苦思想经历，最后一段最后一句话点出了文章的中心 “When we change our attitudes toward ourselves, the whole world changes.” 作者认为当我们改变对我们自己的态度后，整个世界就变了，因此本文在强调生活的态度，故答案为B。
2. What does the underlined part “in vain” in the last paragraph mean?
A. Without success. B. Without purpose.
C. In doubt. D. In trouble.
答案解析：答案为A。本题为词义猜测题。由划线部分所在的语境 “Many of us try hard to change our body, but in vain.”可知，“but”后的意思应该与前面的“很多人努力地去改变身体”意思相反，因此“in vain”的意思最有可能是“没有成功”，故答案为A。
3. What can be inferred about the author?
A. The author is a Samoan.
B. The author succeeded in losing weight.
C. The author has been troubled by her / his weight.
D. The author probably got wounded in wars or accidents.
答案解析：答案为C。本题为推理题。由第一段第一句话 “For many years, I was convinced that my suffering was due to my size.”可知，很多年以来，作者相信他/她的痛苦是因为自身的身材肥胖，因此可以推断作者很多年都受到体重的困扰，故答案为C。由最后一段首句 “It took me a long while to realize that there was something more for me to learn about beauty.”可知，作者花了很长时间才意识到关于美还有很多的要学习，因此作者减肥并不成功，故干扰项最强的B选项“作者成功减肥了”错误。
4. According to the author, what is the common view of those who have lost some weight first and gained it back later?
A. They feel angry about the regained weight.
B. They pay little attention to the regained weight.
C. They feel optimistic about future plans on weight control.
D. They think they should give up their future plans on weight control.
答案解析：答案为C。本题为推理题。由倒数第二段内容可知，很多人减肥后还是长胖，即使如此，他们仍然相信下次一定会有所不同，能够变得更瘦，这就是许多人的自我安慰，从而保持快乐。可以推断，那些减肥的人对他们的减肥计划感到非常乐观，故答案为C。
B
Reading poems is not exactly an everyday activity for most people. In fact, many people never read a poem once they get out of high school.
It is worth reminding ourselves that this has not always been the case in America. In the nineteenth century, a usual American activity was to sit around the fireside in the evening and read poems aloud. It is true that there was no television at the time, nor movie theaters, nor World Wide Web, to provide diversion. However, poems were a source of pleasure, of self-education, of connection to other people or to the world beyond one’s own community. Reading them was a social act as well as an individual one, and perhaps even more social than individual. Writing poems to share with friends and relations was, like reading poems by the fireside, another way in which poetry has a place in everyday life.
How did things change? Why are most Americans no longer comfortable with poetry, and why do most people today think that a poem has nothing to tell them and that they can do well without poems?
There are, I believe, three culprits(肇事者)：poets, teachers, and we ourselves. Of these, the least important is the third: the world surrounding the poem has betrayed us more than we have betrayed the poem. Early in the twentieth century, poetry in English headed into directions unfavorable to the reading of poetry. Readers decided that poems were not for the fireside or the easy chair at night, that they belonged where other difficult-to-read things belonged.
Poets failed the reader, so did teachers. They want their students to know something about the skills of a poem, they want their students to see that poems mean something. Yet what usually occurs when teachers push these concerns on their high school students is that young people decide poems are unpleasant crossword puzzles.
1. Reading poems is thought to be a social act in the nineteenth century because .
A. it built a link among people B. it helped unite a community
C. it was a source of self-education D. it was a source of pleasure
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节题。由第二段 “Reading them was a social act as well as an individual one, and perhaps even more social than individual. Writing poems to share with friends and relations was, ...”可知，在十九世纪读诗是一种社会行为，因为人们读诗写诗都是和朋友以及与自己有关的人分享，也就是说读诗在人们之间建立起一种联系，故答案为A。
2. The underlined word “diversion”(in Paragraph 2) most probably means “ ”.
A. concentration B. change C. amusements D. stories
答案解析：答案为C。本题为词义猜测题。由第二段 “It is true that there was no television at the time, nor movie theaters, nor World Wide Web, to provide diversion. However, poems were a source of pleasure,…”可知，在十九世纪，没有电视机、电影院和宽带网，然而诗歌是快乐的源泉，因此可以推断，电视机、电影院和宽带网提供的是娱乐，故答案为C。
3. According to the passage, what is the main cause of the great gap between readers and poetry?
A. Students are becoming less interested in poetry.
B. Students are poorly educated in high school.
C. TV and the Internet are more attractive than poetry.
D. Poems have become difficult to understand.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由倒数第二段 “Readers decided that poems were not for the fireside or the easy chair at night, that they belonged where other difficult-to-read things belonged.”可知，读者与诗歌之间产生了鸿沟主要是因为诗歌很难读懂，故答案为D。
4. In the last paragraph, the writer questions .
A. the difficulty in studying poems B. the way poems are taught in school
C. students’ wrong ideas about poetry D. the techniques used in writing poems
答案解析：答案为B。本题为推理题。最后一段的首句也就是该段的主题句 “Poets failed the reader, so did teachers.”，除了诗歌自身令读者难以理解外，教师也是一个因素。该段后面的内容对此句话进行了说明 “They want their students to know something about the skills of a poem, they want their students to see that poems mean something.” 教师想让学生知道诗歌的写作技巧，想让学生看到诗歌意味着某些东西。从作者的语气可以推断，作者对教师在学校里教授诗歌的方式进行了质疑。故答案为B。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-30
A
“America’s No.1 Health Problem.” So reads the headline of an article published by the American Institute of Stress that claims the biggest threat to health today is neither cancer nor AIDS. The report says: “It has been estimated（估计）that 75 to 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems.”
It is no exaggeration（夸张）to say that people today are being attacked by stress. According to the National Consumers League, “Work is the top source of stress for adults who have problems and stress in their lives (39%), followed by family (30%). Other sources include health (10%), concern about the economy (9%) and concern about international conflict and terrorism (4%).”
However, stress is hardly unique to the United States. A British survey in 2005 estimated that “over half a million individuals in Britain believed in 2004 that they were experiencing work-related stress at a level that was making them ill.” As a result of “work-related stress, depression or anxiety,” there are “an estimated thirteen and a half million reported lost working days per year in Britain.”
The picture is no less bleak in mainland Europe. According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, “work-related stress has been shown to affect millions of European workers across all types of employment sectors.” One survey revealed that there are “about 41 million workers affected by work-related stress each year.”
What about Asia? A report issued by a conference held in Tokyo concluded: “Job stress is a common concern among many countries in the world, both developing and industrialized countries.” The report observed that “several countries in East Asia, including China and Korea, have rapidly industrialized and economically grown. These countries now have a lot of concerns on job stress and its harmful effects on workers’ health.”
1. The author quoted “America’s No.1 Health Problem.” (Para. 1) in order to ______.
A. talk about health problems in America
B. introduce the topic of stress
C. emphasize the stress in America
D. tell readers something about American Institute of Stress
答案解析：答案为B。本题为推理题。本文的内容是为了揭示世界上人们的工作压力非常大，对健康造成了威胁，因此作者在开头使用“America’s No.1 Health Problem”是为了引入压力的话题，故答案为B。
2. From the passage we can learn that .
A. both cancer and AIDS are not as serious as the threat of stress to health
B. stress is mainly from working and living pressure
C. Americans never care about international conflict and terrorism
D. people in mainland Europe are more optimistic than English people
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节推理题。由第二段 “Work is the top source of stress for adults who have problems and stress in their lives (39%), followed by family (30%). Other sources include health (10%), concern about the economy (9%) and concern about international conflict and terrorism (4%).” 可知，工作和家庭生活中的压力比重最大，故B选项正确，C选项错误。
由第一段 “America’s No.1 Health Problem.” So reads the headline of an article published by the American Institute of Stress that claims the biggest threat to health today is neither cancer nor AIDS.”可知，癌症和艾滋病没有压力带给健康的威胁那么严重的情况是在美国，不具有普遍性，故A选项错误。第三段揭示了英国人的工作压力非常大，第四段的首句理解是关键 “The picture is no less bleak in mainland Europe.” 意为“欧洲大陆的情况依旧不容乐观”，故D选项错误。
3. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______.
A. Asian people are more willing to develop their countries
B. the rapid economic development is the main reason for stress
C. some people in Asian countries have health problems from employment stress
D. Asian countries have a better situation of stress than Europe
答案解析：答案为C。本题为推理题。最后一段揭示了亚洲的压力情况，由该段的最后一句话 “These countries now have a lot of concerns on job stress and its harmful effects on workers’ health.” 可知，一些亚洲国家的工作压力也影响了人们的健康，故C选项正确，B选项错误，经济发展不是压力的主要原因，压力来自工作。A、D选项未提，均不选。
4. What’s the main subject of the passage?
A. Stress attacking health. B. How to deal with stress.
C. A survey on working stress. D. Health problems around the world.
答案解析：答案为A。本题考查文章的主题。全文揭示了在美国，欧洲，亚洲人们的工作压力对健康造成了威胁，故答案为A。
B
The 400 phone messages said it all. Veterans(老兵) wanted to talk, and Jeff Beers, a military history buff and the son of a retired Navy man, was ready to listen. Beers had volunteered for the Veterans History Project, a program at the Library of Congress dedicated to preserving the oral histories of American’s 19 million veterans. Local newspapers listed Beer’s number, and the response was tremendous. He’s videotaped 52 vets ever since.
“Most of them are shocked that anyone would be interested in their small story,” says Beers, 33, an assistant engineer for the city of Poway, Calif. “They ask, ‘Why now?’ But it has to be now, before it’s too late.” The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 1,847 veterans die each day.
Beers and the other volunteers are collecting the I-was-there detail. One of the most moving came from a World War II POW (prisoner of war): “He had to march 500 miles through the Black Forest in winter. They ate bark soup and slept at local farm.”
The WW II generation comprises(包含) most of the 700 histories gathered since the program began in 2001. But, says director Ellen Lovell, they want to hear from vets of every war. “I interviewed my brother-in-law, an army surgeon in Vietnam,” she says. “He said he shared things with me that he’s never told anyone.”
1. What do we know from the text about the veterans?
A. They live a very happy life after the war.
B. They often told their stories to others.
C. They were highly respected by people.
D. They are becoming fewer and fewer in numbers.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节推理题。由第二段最后一句话 “The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 1,847 veterans die each day.”可知，每天有1847位老兵死去，也就意味着老兵的数目越来越少，故D选项正确。
2. How did the veterans feel when they were interviewed?
A. Happy. B. Sad. C. Surprised. D. Disappointed.
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节题。由第二段首句 “Most of them are shocked that anyone would be interested in their small story,” 可知，老兵对于有人对他们的故事感兴趣感到非常吃惊，故答案为C。
3. What does the underlined word “it” (Paragraph 1) refer to?
A. Veterans wanted to talk. B. Jeff Beers was ready to listen.
C. The veterans had many stories. D. There were many phone messages.
答案解析：答案为A。本题为词义推断题。由第一段前面的内容 “The 400 phone messages said it all. Veterans wanted to talk, and Jeff Beers, a military history buff and the son of a retired Navy man, was ready to listen.”可知，“it”指代的是紧跟着它后面的内容“Veterans wanted to talk”，故答案为A。
4. What kind of stories is Jeff Beers most interested in?
A. Historical records of World War II.
B. Stories written by newspaper reporters.
C. Stories most talked about by public.
D. Personal experiences of people during different wars.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节推理题。由倒数第二段 “One of the most moving came from a World War II POW (prisoner of war): ‘He had to march 500 miles through the Black Forest in winter. They ate bark soup and slept at local farm.’”可知，Jeff Beers最感兴趣的是战争期间人们的个人经历，故答案为D。
