2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-41
A
Laura Edmonds has a look of horror on her face as she turns to look out the airplane window.
It’ s not the threat of terrorism that worries her，but rather the possibility of mechanical failure. She says she imagines the plane plunging to the ground because the engines may fall off. So every few minutes she glances out the window to make sure they' re still attached.
It is a fear that has gripped her for 18 years, since her wedding day. Since then she has tried drugs and cocktails to make it through flights. But, she says they’ ve been no help in easing her anxiety.
She has dragged her family on the train from Connecticut to Florida, insisted on long drives and tried to avoid flying at all costs. Even when friends fly, Edmonds says she worries, counting the hours till they arrive at their destination.
It’ s been three years since Edmonds has stepped on a plane.
Yet here she is now, 20,000 feet above the ground onboard a turbo-prop that's a route from New York, LaGuardia Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport in Maryland. She is hoping this is the flight that will overcome her fear.
“I feel the seat. I feel the seat against my arm. I feel my hands，” recites Edmonds, her eyes still closed.
She is attempting to change her mind, one of several so-called “ strengthening exercises" she recently learned from a video course designed to overcome fear of flying. The idea is to focus on the moment, rather than the abstract. Former Pan Am and United pilot Tom Bunn is president of the company that produced the videos and that instructs passengers in the basic mechanics of flying and teaches them to control their thoughts.
Before boarding the U. S. Airways flight, Edmonds presents a letter from Bunn to the flight attendant asking to speak with the captain. The pilot gladly obliges, telling her he ’ s been flying for more than two decades and assuring her，You’ re going to be fine. We' re going to take good care of you.’
When the flight attendant offers drinks, Edmonds places her cup of water on the tray table and studies it, tangible evidence that the plane is barely shaking.
“ Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching Baltimore，” announces the flight attendant.
Edmond is relying heavily on Bunn ’ s coping strategies during the 90-minute flight. But she' s coping.
As the wheels touch down, Edmonds’ face lights up.
1. Laura Edmonds has a fear of flying because______.
A. she once experienced a mechanical failure
B. a mechanical failure often appears in her mind
C. she is good at imagining a terrible situation
D. air crashes often happen in her hometown
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节题。由第二段 “It’ s not the threat of terrorism that worries her，but rather the possibility of mechanical failure. She says she imagines the plane plunging to the ground because the engines may fall off.” 可知，Laura Edmonds害怕乘飞机是因为她总是担心机器出故障，故答案为B。
2. The underlined word "grip" in the third paragraph means______.
A. seized firmly B. hurt seriously
C. cheated simply D. treated carefully
答案解析：答案为A。本题为词义猜测题。由第三段 “It is a fear that has gripped her for 18 years, since her wedding day. Since then she has tried drugs and cocktails to make it through flights. But, she says they’ ve been no help in easing her anxiety.” 可知，自从她结婚后，坐飞机的时候就喝药和鸡尾酒，但是这些对于缓解她的焦虑感没有作用，可以推断，18年以来，恐惧总是缠绕着她，因此“grip”的意思是“seized firmly”意为“紧紧抓住”。故答案为A。
3. From this passage it can be inferred that______.
A. every seat in planes is equipped with video
B. passengers on board always feel nervous
C. nervous passengers can get comfort from airlines
D. travel by train is safer than travel by plane
答案解析：答案为C。本题为推理题。第八、九段写到美国飞行员Tom Bunn生产了帮助乘客克服飞行恐惧的光碟，教乘客如何控制恐惧思想，第十段中 “The pilot gladly obliges, telling her he ’ s been flying for more than two decades and assuring her，You’ re going to be fine. We' re going to take good care of you.’” 乘务员温馨的话语体现了他们对心理紧张的乘客的安慰，故C选项符合题意。
A、B选项未提。由第四段 “She has dragged her family on the train from Connecticut to Florida, insisted on long drives and tried to avoid flying at all costs.”可知，Laura Edmonds拽着家人乘坐火车，而不乘坐飞机是因为她内心害怕坐飞机， 无法推断出火车比飞机更安全的结论，故D选项错误。
4. Laurn' s overcoming the fear of flying is mostly owed to______.
A. airline' s comfort B. her counting the hours on board
C. a letter from Bunn D. her defeating herself
答案解析：答案为D。本题为推理题。由最后两段可知，Laurn在90分钟的飞行中依靠Tom Bunn生产的光碟，模仿光碟中教乘客克服恐惧的策略，文中用了 “But she' s coping.”，作者认为她只是在模仿，真正克服飞行恐惧的是她依靠自己的意志力打败了自己，故答案为D。
B
The Terrafugia, a small airplane that can drive on roads and has been billed as the first “ flying car,”is now one step closer to becoming street-and-sky-legal. The vehicle has cleared a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)(联邦航空管理委员会）regulation for craft classification (分类）by weight. A well-designed production model might be just around the corner, according to multiple reports.
At issue was Mass-based company Terrafugia wanting its Transition vehicle to be classified as a “Light Sport Aircraft" by the FAA so people eager to fly it would need only 20 hours of flying time. Yet the two-seater vehicle came in 110 pounds (50 kilograms) overweight in providing roadworthy-assuring safety items. The FAA said that so long as customers are advised about this extra weight, the car-plane mixture can be sold.
The Terrafugia completed its maiden voyage last March in upstate New York. According to its maker, the Terrafugia can transform from a readable vehicle that can hit a highway speed of 65 miles per hour to a winged aircraft in 30 seconds.
The plane version can cruise at about 115 miles per hour ( 185 kilometers per hour) and cover about 400 miles ( 644 kilometers) worth of the area before needing a refill of regular unleaded gas.
The price of a Terrafugia is expected to be around $200,000 and deliveries could start next year, assuming the vehicle passes crash tests. The company has envisioned its vehicle as finding a home with amateur pilots who live near air fields, but as any Jetsons’ fan knows, flying cars might well be the wave of the future.
1. The underlined part in the Para. 1 “has been billed" means_____.
A. has been sold B. has been advertised
C. has been ordered D. has been designed
答案解析：答案为B。本题为词义推断题。由第一段 “The Terrafugia, a small airplane that can drive on roads and has been billed as the first “ flying car,”is now one step closer to becoming street-and-sky-legal...A well-designed production model might be just around the corner, according to multiple reports.”可知，根据报道名字叫Terrafugia的小型飞机模型或许马上就会问世，因此“has been billed”意思应该是“has been advertised”意为“已经得到了宣传”，故答案为B。
2. The author tells us in the passage that ______.
A. this vehicle can carry only two passengers
B. the driver should weigh less than 110 pounds
C. anyone can drive this flying car if they want
D. the car flies faster than a modern plane
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节题。由第二段 “Yet the two-seater vehicle came in 110 pounds (50 kilograms) overweight in providing roadworthy-assuring safety items. The FAA said that so long as customers are advised about this extra weight, the car-plane mixture can be sold.”可知，这个交通工具有两个座位，只能超载110磅，FAA说顾客只有知道了这个额外重量，汽车飞机才能卖给他们，故A选项正确，B、C选项错误。第三、四段分别介绍了这个飞机汽车在公路上的时速和空中飞行速度，没有与现代飞机进行比较，故D选项错误。
3. It is mentioned in the passage that flying cars might be______.
A. popular B. light C. convenient D. safe enough
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节推理题。由最后一段最后一句话 “...flying cars might well be the wave of the future.” 可知，飞机汽车或许是未来的一种趋势，故答案为A。
4. Which is the best possible title of the passage?
A. Coolest Vehicles You ’ 11 Never Get to Ride
B. Flying Car Could Transform Traffic Jam
C. Flying Car One Step Closer to Reality
D. Transportation in Future Time
答案解析：答案为C。 结合第一题的分析和第一段的首句 “The Terrafugia, a small airplane that can drive on roads and has been billed as the first “ flying car,”is now one step closer to becoming street-and-sky-legal.”可知，飞机汽车还差一步就能在陆地和天空通行，故答案为C。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-42
A
More than 17 ,000 flights to and from European airspace were cancelled, including all flights from Britain ’ s major airports.
The Met office reported that volcanic ash had begun to fall across Britain, coating surfaces with a fine layer of dust and raising fears for people with breathing difficulties.
Meanwhile experts warned of shortages of some foods with produce destined for British shops in airport warehouses in other parts of the world.
Geologists reported that activity at the volcano increased yesterday, spewing a plume of ash 5.3 miles high into the atmosphere.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office said the winds blowing the volcanic ash south east to Europe and up into Scandinavia and Russia will continue in the same direction for at least two days and could go on until Wednesday. But scientists fear there could be more eruptions from the 5，466-foot volcano, Mount Eyjafjallajkull.
A university geophysicist said：“From what we ’ve seen, it could erupt，pause for a few weeks，and then possibly erupt again. It could go on for months. ” As the no fly zone expanded yesterday, so did the chaos. The Icelandic volcano causing travel chaos across Europe could go on erupting for months, geologists have warned.
The National Air Traffic Control Service ( Nats) extended restrictions on flights from British airports to 7p. m. on Sunday, with the expectation of further extensions.
Ferry operators have reported record bookings. P&O took 6,000 foot passengers across the channel on Friday compared to the 100 to 200 it would expect on a normal Friday in April. Eurostar trains were fully booked until tomorrow, with 50,000 more passengers than normal since the airline disruption (中断）began on Thursday，including comedian John Cleese who arrived back in London last night after a most difficult overland journey from Switzerland. The operator is charging passengers a minimum ￡ 223 for a single ticket from Paris to London over the next two days prompting criticisms of profiteering. A return ticket can normally be bought for as little as ￡ 69. Eurostar denied it was cashing in. some 4,000 British tourists have been stranded in South Africa.
The British Embassy in Athens said there were currently “many thousand” British holidaymakers trying to leave Greece after the holidays, in many cases anxious to get back in time for the start of the school term this week，with some of those desperate to return resorting to renting cars or embarking on long trains journeys.
1. Where is the volcano, Mount Eyjafjallajkull located?
A. England. B. Ireland. C. Iceland. D. Switzerland.
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节题。由第六段 “The Icelandic volcano …”可知， 答案为C。
2. The worst affected problem for most of the Europeans during the eruption was _______.
A. breathing difficulties B. shortages of food
C. the airline disruption D. a fine layer of dust
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节推理题。由第一、二段可知，火山喷发导致了欧洲航班取消、火山灰从天空落下、地上铺满了火山灰等问题，然而最严重的问题是第二段提到的 “…and raising fears for people with breathing difficulties.” 呼吸困难引起了人们的恐惧，这威胁到人们的生命安全，故答案为A。
3. What does the underlined word "chaos" mean in Para 6?
A. Danger. B. Anxiety. C. Desperation. D. Disorder.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为词义猜测题。结合划线词语的下文 “The Icelandic volcano causing travel chaos across Europe could go on erupting for months ….”可以推断，欧洲的火山可能会喷发几个月，它导致了旅行混乱（disorder.），故答案为D。A选项 “danger”意为“危险”，B选项 “anxiety”意为 “焦虑”， C选项“desperation”意为“绝望”，均不符合文意，故不选。
4. From the passage, we know that the volcano eruption _________.
A. forced all the people to go back home
B. brought the train company a large profit
C. made 6,000 passengers take ships to cross the Channel
D. prevented British students from going to school on time
答案解析：答案为B。本题为推理题。由第九段 “Eurostar trains were fully booked until tomorrow, with 50,000 more passengers than normal since the airline disruption began on Thursday…”可知，自从航空线中断后，Eurostar火车票订购爆满，比通常多50,000名乘客，因此可以推断，火山喷发给火车公司带来了大量利润，故答案为B。
A选项表达有误。由第八段 “Ferry operators have reported record bookings. P&O took 6,000 foot passengers across the channel on Friday …”可知，在周五有6,000 旅客乘坐渡船过海峡，可以推断，其他时间也有旅客乘坐渡船，故C选项的人数表达有误。由最后一段 “The British Embassy in Athens said there were currently “many thousand” British holidaymakers trying to leave Greece after the holidays, in many cases anxious to get back in time for the start of the school term this week…”可知，外面度假的英国人努力离开希腊，其中很多人是为了及时赶上本周开学的时间，故D选项“阻止了英国学生按时上学”错误。
B
In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied (依赖)on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit (追求)of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve (缓解) can we discover a new meaning in competition.
1. What does this passage mainly talk about?
A. Competition helps to set up self-respect.
B. Opinions about competition are different among people.
C. Competition is harmful to personal quality development.
D. Failures are necessary experiences in competition.
答案解析：答案为B。本题考查文章的大意。文章第一段列举两种对待竞争的不同的观点，有人支持，有人反对；后面两段分别对两种观点进行阐述，因此本文的大意就是不同的人对待竞争有不同的观点，故答案为B。
2. Why do some people favor competition according to the passage?
A. It pushes society forward. B. It builds up a sense of duty.
C. It improves personal abilities. D.It encourages individual efforts.
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节题。由第一段 “Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity.”可知，有些人对竞争的评价很高，认为是它促进了社会的进步和繁荣，故答案为A。
3. The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means _______.
A. those who try their best to win
B. those who value competition most highly
C. those who are against competition most strongly
D. those who rely on others most for success
答案解析：答案为C。本题为词义猜测题。由划线部分的前文 “However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition.” 可知，一些人似乎在成功的欲望里迷失了自己，然而另外一些人的态度相反，他们强烈谴责竞争，因此 “the most vocal”指代的是那些反对竞争的人，故答案为C。
4．What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a “desire to fail”?
A. One’s worth lies in his performance compared with others’.
B. One’s success in competition needs great efforts.
C. One’s achievement is determined by his particular skills.
D. One’s success is based on how hard he has tried.
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节题。由最后一段 “Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others.”可知，反对竞争的人也就是“渴望失败的人”和真正的竞争者都有着错误的想法：个人的自尊依赖于与别人比较时候的表现如何，故答案为A。
5. Which point of view may the author agree to?
A. Every effort should be paid back.
B. Competition should be encouraged.
C. Winning should be a life-and-death matter.
D. Fear of failure should be removed in competition.
答案解析：答案为D。本题考查作者的观点。由最后一段最后一句话 “Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve can we discover a new meaning in competition.”可知，只有失败的恐惧感得到缓解我们才能发现竞争的新的意义之所在，故答案为D“竞争中应该消除对失败的恐惧”。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-43
A
After the violent earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994, earthquake scientists had good news to report. The damage and death toll (伤亡) could have been much worse.
More than 60 people died in this earthquake. By comparison, an earthquake of similar intensity that shook America in 1988 claimed 25,000 victims.
Injures and deaths were relatively less in Los Angles because the quake occurred at 4:31 a.m. on a holiday, when traffic was light on the city’s highways. In addition, changes made to the construction codes in Los Angeles during the last 20 years have strengthened the city’s buildings and highways, making them more resistant (有抵抗力的) to quakes.
Despite the good news, civil engineers aren’t resting on their successes. Pinned to their drawing boards are blueprints (蓝图的) for improved quake-resistant buildings. The new designs should offer even greater security to cities where earthquakes often take place.
In the past, making structures quake-resistant meant firm yet flexible (柔韧的) materials, such as steel and wood, which bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lift a building off its foundation, and insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation to reduce the impact (影响) of ground vibrations (颤动). The most recent designs give buildings brains as well as concrete and steel supports, called smart buildings, the structures respond like living organisms to an earthquake’s vibrations. When the ground shakes and the buildings tip forward, the computer would force the building to shift in the opposite direction.
The new smart structures could be very expensive to build. However, they would save many lives and would be less likely to be damaged during earthquakes.
1. One reason why the loss of lives in the Los Angeles earthquake was comparatively low is that ______.
A. new computers had been installed in the buildings
B. occurred in the residential areas (居民区) rather than on the highways
C. large numbers of Los Angeles residents had rushed into Los Angeles for holiday
D. improvements had been made in the construction of buildings and highways
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节推理题。第三段提到了洛杉矶地震中死亡人数相对较少有两个原因，一个是 “because the quake occurred at 4:31 a.m. on a holiday, when traffic was light on the city’s highways.” 地震在假期发生，因此城市交通清闲；另外一个是 “changes made to the construction codes in Los Angeles during the last 20 years have strengthened the city’s buildings and highways…” 建筑物和公路的构造发生了改变，故答案为D。干扰项最强的C选项不是直接的原因，不可选。
2. The fun_ction of the computer mentioned in the passage is to _______ .
A. counterbalance an earthquake’s action on the building
B. predict the coming of an earthquake with accuracy
C. help strengthen the foundation of the building
D. measure the impact of an earthquake’s vibrations
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节推理题。由倒数第二段最后一句话 “When the ground shakes and the buildings tip forward, the computer would force the building to shift in the opposite direction.” 可知，当地面震动，建筑物倾斜，电脑会迫使建筑物向相反的方向移动，也就是说电脑的功能是平衡地震对建筑物的作用力，故答案为A。
3. The smart buildings discussed in the passage ________.
A. would cause serious financial problems
B. would be worthwhile though costly
C. would increase the complexity of architectural design
D. can reduce the ground vibrations caused by earthquakes
答案解析：答案为B。本题为推理题。由最后一段可知，新的灵敏的结构建造起来非常昂贵，然而，它们会拯救许多生命，被地震毁坏的可能性也较小，可以推断，新的建筑物虽然昂贵，但是非常值得，故答案为B。
4. It can be inferred from the passage that in minimizing (最小化) the damage caused by earthquakes attention should be focused on _______ .
A. the increasing use of rubber and steel in capital construction
B. the development of flexible building materials
C. the reduction of the impact of ground vibrations
D. early forecasts of earthquakes
答案解析：答案为C。本题为推理题。由倒数第二段 “In the past, making structures quake-resistant meant firm yet flexible materials, such as steel and wood, which bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lift a building off its foundation, and insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation to reduce the impact of ground vibrations.”可知，在过去，使建筑物具有地震抗性是使用柔韧的材料，例如钢铁和木头，后来人们在建筑物和房基之间插入橡胶和钢铁，做这些的目的都是为了减小地面颤动的影响，因此要最小化地震带来的损害就是要减小地面颤动的影响，故答案为C。A、B都是减小地面颤动的方式，D选项 “早早预测地震”在文中未提，均不选。
B
A sunflower is a sunflower. A mobile phone is a mobile phone. But can you combine the two to do something for your local environment? As early as next year it may well be possible. When you have finished with your mobile phone you will be able to bury it in a garden or a plant pot and wait for it to flower.
A biodegradable(生物所能分解的)mobile phone was, this month, introduced by scientists. It is hoped that the new type of phone will encourage consumers to recycle.
Scientists have come up with a new material over the last five years. It looks like any other plastic and can be hard or soft, and is able to change shape. Over time it can also break down into the soil without giving out any poisonous chemicals. British researchers used the new material to develop a phone cover that contains a sunflower seed. When this new type of cover turns into waste, it forms fertilizers. These feed the seed and help the flower grow.
Engineers have designed a small transparent(透明的)window to hold the seed. They have made sure it only grows when the phone is thrown away. “We’ve only put sunflower seeds into the covers so far. But we are working with plant experts to find out which flowers would perform best. Maybe we could put roses in next time,” said one scientist.
As phone technology is developing so quickly, people are constantly throwing their mobiles away. This means manufacturers are under pressure to find ways of recycling them. Some 650 million mobile phones have been sold this year. Most of them will be thrown away within two years, adding plastic, heavy metal and chemical waste to the environment. A biodegradable cover can offer some relief(缓解)for nature , according to the scientists.
“The seed comes out and the flower grows in the pot so you don’t have to concern yourself with the phone when you have finished using it,” said Kerry Kirwan. She leads the research team, which is based at the University of Warwick in Britain.
1. What is the purpose of this passage?
A. To tell the popularity of biodegradable cell phones.
B. To persuade the reader to buy the biodegradable cell phone.
C. To discuss the development of phone technology.
D. To introduce an environmental-friendly cell phone to readers.
答案解析：答案D。本题考查文章的写作目的。第一段引入新型手机，吸引读者；第二、三段详细介绍了该新型手机的特性，它可以分解，不污染环境；第四段介绍了该新型手机的研究过程；第五段解释为什么要开发这种手机；最后一段指出这种手机正处于开发当中。因此本文的目的是介绍一种环保手机，故答案为D。
2. People throw away their cell phones most probably because .
A. there is something wrong with them
B. no sunflowers can grow out of them
C. they are out of fashion
D. they are becoming cheaper and cheaper
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节推理题。由倒数第二段首句 “As phone technology is developing so quickly, people are constantly throwing their mobiles away.”可知，由于手机技术发展迅速，人们不断地扔掉原来的手机。可以推断，手机技术发展迅速使得手机更新换代非常快，因此人们原来的手机就过时了，则将其扔掉，故答案为C。
3. It could be learned from the passage that .
A. developing the new type of phone is mainly to protect the environment
B. phone-makers will benefit much more from the new type of phone
C. the new type of phone will certainly be popular with users all over the world
D. the phones that can be recycled are available only in Britain now
答案解析：答案为A。本题为推理题。第二段介绍了一种生物所能分解的手机， 第三段提到 “Over time it can also break down into the soil without giving out any poisonous chemicals.” 该手机可以在土壤里分解而不释放出有毒的化学物，倒数第二段最后一句话再次提到 “A biodegradable cover can offer some relief for nature , according to the scientists.” 该新型手机可以缓解自然污染，因此可以推断，开发新型手机主要是为了保护环境。故答案为A。
4. What might be the most suitable title for this passage?
A. Sunflower and Phone. B. Plant Your Phone.
C. Protect Our Environment. D. No Worry about Phone.
答案解析：答案为B。本题考查文章的标题。由第一段最后一句话 “When you have finished with your mobile phone you will be able to bury it in a garden or a plant pot and wait for it to flower.”可知，新的手机特点是不需要后可以埋在花园里或者花盆里，能够开花，因此B选项作为标题既能概括该手机的特点也可以吸引读者。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-44
A
Teenagers at one German school are learning how to achieve happiness alongside other traditional subjects such as math and languages.
The class sit in a circle with their eyes shut and they count from one to ten: someone starts, the next voice comes from the far right, a third from the other side.
The aim of the game is to listen for an opportunity to shout out the number without clashing(冲突) with another voice or leaving a pause. On the first try, most of the young Germans try to be first, while a few are too shy to join in, but by the fifth time round, they develop a rhythm(节奏). The message: give other people space but also confidently claim your own. This is a requirement for social well-being.
The Willy Hellpach School in Heidelberg is the first in the nation to develop a happiness course. It is intended for students preparing for university entrance exams.
“The course isn’t there to make you happy,” Ernst Fritz-Schubert, the school principal, warned pupils, “but rather to help you discover the ways to become happy.”
Cooking a meal together is one of the class exercises. Improving body language under the guidance of two professional actresses is another.
The course is taught for three periods a week. Despite the happy subject, the pupils themselves insist it is no laughing matter.
“In the first period, we had to each say something positive about another member of the class and about ourselves. No laughing at people or teasing(取笑),” said Fanny, 17.
The message: self-esteem(自尊) improves happiness, too.
Research by the school shows it is not the first to start happiness classes: they also exist at some US universities, but are mainly based on positive thinking, using findings from studies of depression.
“That would be too one-sided for us. We want to show how decent food or exercise can help, too,” the principal said.
1. The best title of this text would be_______.
A. Basic things for happiness B. Having a try to be happy
C. Learning how to be happy D. Laughing a lot at school
答案解析：答案为C。第一段 “Teenagers at one German school are learning how to achieve happiness…” 就点出文章的题目“学会如何保持快乐”，故答案为C。
2. Why is the course compared with math and languages?
A. It is given like the subjects which already exist.
B. It is as important as traditional courses.
C. It is necessary for the students.
D. It arouses similar interest of the students at this school.
答案解析：答案为A。本题为推理题，解答此题可以用排除法。D选项“它唤起了学生相似的兴趣”在文中未提，可以首先排除。由第一段 “Teenagers at one German school are learning how to achieve happiness alongside other traditional subjects such as math and languages.” 中“alongside”理解是关键，它意为“在…旁边”，也就是说快乐课程相对于数学和语言科目来说处于次要位置，对于学生来说并非是必要的，故B、C选项错误，因此只有选择A选项。文中第二、三段介绍了快乐课程的授课方式，和传统课程类似，再次证明A选项是可选的。故答案为A。
3. This course is required to be taken by________.
A. first year students B. all students at this school
C. students with mental problems D. students who are going to finish school
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由第四段 “It is intended for students preparing for university entrance exams.”可知，该课程是为正在为大学入学考试准备的学生而开设的，故答案为D。
4. The underlined word in the last paragraph “decent” is closest in meaning to________.
A. strange B. good C. useful D. ridiculous
答案解析：答案为B。本题为词义猜测题。由最后一段 “ “That would be too one-sided for us. We want to show how decent food or exercise can help, too,” the principal said.”可知，校长认为快乐课程让学生发现变得快乐的方式很片面，他认为美食和运动也会起到帮助，因此可以推断，与“decent”意思最接近的是B选项“good”。
B
I was walking along the main street of a small seaside town in the north of England looking for somewhere to make a phone call. My car had broken down outside the town and I wanted to contact the AA. Low grey clouds were gathering across the sky and there was a cold damp wind blowing off the sea which nearly threw me off my feet every time I crossed one of the side streets. It had rained in the night and water was dripping from the bare trees that lined the street. I was glad that I was wearing a thick coat.
There was no sign of a call box, nor was there anyone at that early hour whom I could ask. I had thought I might find a shop open selling the Sunday papers or a milkman doing his rounds, but the town was completely dead. The only living thing I saw was a thin frightened cat outside a small restaurant.
Then suddenly I found what I was looking for. There was a small post office, and almost hidden from sight in a dark narrow street next to it was the town’s only public call box, which badly needed a coat of paint. I hurried forward, but stopped in astonishment when I saw through the dirty glass that there was a man inside. He was fat, and was wearing a cheap blue plastic raincoat. I could not see his face and he did not even raise his head at the sound of my footsteps.
Discreetly(谨慎地), I remained standing a few feet away and lit a cigarette to wait my turn. It was when I threw the dead match on the ground that I noticed something bright red trickling from under the call box door.
1. At what time was the story set?
A. An early winter morning. B. A cold winter afternoon.
C. An early summer morning. D. A windy summer afternoon.
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节推理题。由第一段提到的“a cold damp wind”和第二段首句中提到的“at that early hour” 可以推断，故事发生在冬天的大清早。 故答案为A。
2. Which of the following words best describe the writer’s impression of the town?
A. Cold and frightening. B. Dirty and crowded.
C. Empty and dead. D. Unusual and unpleasant.
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节推理题。由第二段 “…but the town was completely dead. The only living thing I saw was a thin frightened cat outside a small restaurant.”可知，小镇完全死气沉沉，唯一看到活着的东西就是小餐馆外一只消瘦、胆怯的猫，可以推断，小镇给作者的印象就是空荡和死气沉沉。故答案为C。
3. The underlined word “trickling” in the last paragraph probably means_________.
A. rushing out suddenly B. shining brightly
C. flowing slowly in drops D. appearing slowly in a red color
答案解析：答案为C。本题为词义猜测题。通过第三段的描写，作者透过公用电话亭脏兮兮的玻璃看到里面有个人，他胖胖的，穿着一件便宜的蓝色塑料雨衣，看不到脸，听到作者脚步声的时候他甚至连头都没抬一下，当作者在门外等候的时候，点燃了一支烟，当他把熄灭的火柴扔到地上的时候，注意到电话亭门下面有鲜红的东西从门下面….四个选项中，A选项意思离文意最远，故排除。文中第一、二段提到的 “a cold damp wind”、 “It had rained in the night and water was dripping from the bare trees that lined the street.”和“but the town was completely dead.”等都是在衬托小镇的凄凉和可怕，因此可以推断，那红色的东西是电话亭里的人被谋杀后流出的鲜血，故“trickling”意思最接近C选项“一滴滴慢慢地流着”。
4. Why didn’t the man raise his head when the writer came near?
A. He was annoyed at being seen by the writer.
B. He was angry at being disturbed by the writer.
C. He was probably fast asleep.
D. He was probably murdered.
答案解析：答案为D。结合上题分析可知，当作者走进的时候电话亭里的人不抬头的原因是因为他有可能已经被谋杀。故答案为D。
2012高考英语冲刺阅读理解专项 50-45
A
Robinson Diaz lives in a small cottage high in the Andes Mountains of South America. Diaz is a “cable racer”, and every morning he faces the difficult task of taking the local teacher to her school. To do this, he first walks for an hour up to a place the locals call Los Pinos, right at the edge of the 400-foot deep gorge(峡谷) of the Negro valley. Here, one end of a thick metal cable has been fixed to a wooden post. The cable stretches right across the deep valley to the other side, a kilometer away.
A metal hook is fixed to the cable, with leather straps hanging from it. Diaz fastens the straps around his shoulders and waist, does a quick safety check and then, without hesitating, throws himself off the edge of the mountain. Attached to the cable by only the metal hook, he rapidly picks up speed and soon he is racing through the air. Crossing the valley by wire takes him 30 seconds, instead of the two hours it would take him to walk down through the rain forest and climb up the steep muddy slopes on the other side.
As Diaz begins his trip, Diana Rios, a 23-year-old elementary teacher, is waiting on. The other side of the gorge for the moment when he will come racing through the mist towards her at 100 mph. She will then return with him, hanging on to him as he goes back along the cable. Diana had no idea when she took the teaching job that just getting to work in the village school would be dangerous. "At first I wanted to cry," she says, clutching her hook as the metal cable starts to rattle(喀哒作响) violently at Diaz’s approach. “But I soon got used to it.” She still prefers to go with Diaz, though, rather than making the frightening and hazardous(危险) crossing on her own.
For the inhabitants(居民) of Los Pinos, the wire cable is a lifeline. For more than 50 years, it has served the community as a form of transport to and from the rest of the world. Everything that comes arrives via the cable-bricks and wood for building, sacks of rice and corn. Pregnant mothers, who must get to the nearest clinic, cross the wire during the darkness of the night, returning with their newborn babies. It is dangerous, but they have no choice.
This time Robinson Diaz makes a perfect landing on Diana’s side of the gorge. For him, the dangers of this daily journey are insignificant. “What I’m really scared of is snakes,” he says. “This is nothing in comparison.” Then Dianna straps herself into her harness and hooks herself up to the wire behind Diaz, holding on to him tightly. He turns, flashes her a smile, releases the brake and kicks away. Within seconds, teacher and cable-racer have disappeared back into the mist.
1. Robinson Diaz has a difficult task every morning because he has to________.
A. climb a long way up a mountain B. get to the edge of a valley
C. help someone get to work D. walk through a dangerous area
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节题。由第一段 “… and every morning he faces the difficult task of taking the local teacher to her school.”可知，答案为C。
2. In the second paragraph, the writer suggests that Diaz is________.
A. confident about what he is doing
B. unaware of the danger he faces
C. careless about his own safety
D. uncertain of what he is doing
答案解析：答案为A。本题为推理题。由第二段对Diaz的动作描写“a quick safety check” 、“without hesitating”、 “he rapidly picks up speed and soon he is racing through the air” 和“Crossing the valley by wire takes him 30 seconds”等表现出他的动作迅速、敏捷、熟练，体现出他非常自信。故答案为A。
3. Diana Rios found out how she would travel to work________.
A. when she was a student B. when she saw the cable
C. after she had met Diaz D. after she took the job
答案解析：答案为C。本题为细节题。由第三段 “Diana had no idea when she took the teaching job that just getting to work in the village school would be dangerous. …She still prefers to go with Diaz, though, rather than making the frightening and hazardous crossing on her own.”可知，答案为C。
4. What is Diana's opinion about the journey now?
A. She enjoys it.
B. She no longer finds it a problem.
C. It makes her feel very frightened.
D. It would be impossible without Diaz.
答案解析：答案为B。本题为细节推理题。由第三段 “ ‘At first I wanted to cry,’ she says, … ‘But I soon got used to it.’ She still prefers to go with Diaz, though, rather than making the frightening and hazardous crossing on her own.”可知，Diana刚开始工作的时候对于上班时艰难的旅途想哭，后来在Diaz的协助下，她习惯了走缆绳去上班，因此她觉得上班的旅途对于她来说已经不是个问题。故答案为B。
5. What does Diaz say about using the cable?
A. He does not think there is any risk.
B. He is worried about the danger of snakes.
C. He is happy that he can help the teacher.
D. He does not find it as frightening as other things.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节推理题。由最后一段 “For him, the dangers of this daily journey are insignificant. ‘What I’m really scared of is snakes,’ he says. ‘This is nothing in comparison.’”可知，Diaz真正害怕的是蛇，比较起来，用缆绳对于他来说不算什么，因此答案为D “他觉得使用缆绳没有其他的东西那么令人害怕”。
B
Bill Melendez, 91, an Emmy Award-winning animator(动画片制作者)who transformed the two-dimensional drawings of the peanuts comic strip into some of the most beloved cartoon characters on television and film, died Sept. 2 at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The cause of death was not reported.
Mr. Melendez，who began his career at the Hollywood animation studios of Walt Disney and Warner Bros., found his greatest fame as the animator of A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Great Pumpkin and dozens of other Peanuts presentations.
With producer Lee Mendelson, Mr. Melendez formed a 43-year partnership that has generated more than 70 Peanuts productions, including four feature films. He also animated more than 370 commercials using Peanuts characters and remains the only animator Charles M. Schulz trusted to bring his famous comic strip figures to life.
Success was hardly assured when the first Peanuts special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, was broadcast by CBS in 1965. Network executives feared it would be a colossal flop, with no laugh track, a jazz musical score by pianist Vice Guaraldi and religious message.
Much to everyone’s surprise, the show was a huge hit and got Emmy and Peabody awards.Cartoonist Robert Smigel called it“the greatest half-hour American TV has ever produced.”
In addition to animating every Peanuts film and TV special, Mr. Melendez provided the wordless voice of Snoopy. Before his work on Peanuts, Mr. Melendez drew many of the famous Disney and Warner Bros. animated figures of the 1930s and 40s, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig. The peanuts characters, with their complicated personalities contained in round, childlike figure, proved unexpectedly challenging.
Mr. Melendez won five Emmy Awards for his work on Peanuts. He also won Emmys for creating the first animated cartoons of Jim Davis’Garfield and for animating CS Lewis’The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Melendez was born in 1916 in Hermosillo，Mexico and moved to Douglas, Arizona in 1928, and later to Los Angeles. He began drawing as a child. He studied at what is now the California Institute of the Arts and joined the Disney studio in 1938.
1. Who drew the famous“peanuts”comic strip figures?
A. Bill Melendez. B. Lee Mendelson.
C. Robert Smigel. D. Charles M. Schulz.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节理解题。由第三段 “…Mr. Melendez formed.... He also animated more than 370 commercials using Peanuts characters and remains the only animator Charles M. Schulz trusted to bring his famous comic strip figures to life.” 可知，Mr. Melendez利用Peanuts人物创作了370多个商业动画片，并且迄今为止，他是Charles M. Schulz唯一信任的将他的著名连环漫画形象搬上银幕的动画片制作者。其中，理解“remains the only animator Charles M. Schulz trusted”是关键，它包含有一个定语从句，可以改写为 “remains the only animator that Charles M. Schulz trusted”，因此，“peanuts”连环漫画形象是Charles M. Schulz所画，故答案为D。
2. What does the underlined phrase “a colossal flop” mean?
A. An immediate success. B. A great failure.
C. A huge hit. D. Of great popularity.
答案解析：答案为B。本题为词义猜测题。第四段提到 “Network executives feared it would be a colossal flop….”，接下来的第五段首句写到 “Much to everyone’s surprise, the show was a huge hit and got Emmy and Peabody awards.”由此可知，令每个人大为吃惊的是，这部片子非常红火，可以推断，制片人最初担心它会失败，因此“a colossal flop“意思为 “失败”，故答案为B。
3. Why did the “peanuts”characters prove extremely difficult to Mr. Melendez?
A. Because the characters had complicated personalities.
B. Because the Warner Bros. did not like childlike figures in their animations.
C. Because the famous animated figures drew by Mr. Melendez in the 30s and 40s were already too successful.
D. Because the complicated personalities of the characters were contained in childlike figures.
答案解析：答案为D。本题为细节题。由倒数第三段最后一句话 “The peanuts characters, with their complicated personalities contained in round, childlike figure, proved unexpectedly challenging.”可知，答案为D。
4. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Bill Melendez won five Emmy Awards all together.
B. Bill Melendez moved to Douglas when he was 12.
C. Bill Melendez provided the voice of Snoopy in Peanuts.
D. Bill Melendez died in 2007.
答案解析：答案为A。本题为细节题。由倒数第二段 “Mr. Melendez won five Emmy Awards for his work on Peanuts. He also won Emmys for creating the first animated cartoons of Jim Davis’Garfield and for animating CS Lewis’The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”可知，Mr. Melendez凭借Peanuts这部动画片赢得了五个奖项，另外还因为其他的动画片作品也赢得了奖项，故A选项不符合文意，因此答案为A。
由倒数第三段首句 “In addition to animating every Peanuts film and TV special, Mr. Melendez provided the wordless voice of Snoopy.”可知，C选项符合文意。由最后一段首句 “Melendez was born in 1916 in Hermosillo，Mexico and moved to Douglas, Arizona in 1928, and later to Los Angeles.”可知，B选项正确。第一段提到 “Bill Melendez, 91, …died Sept. 2…”，故D选项符合文意，均不选。
