专题04 高中英语名校精选阅读理解专项训练（20套含答案）

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高中英语名校精选阅读理解专项训练
专题04.（20套精选含答案）
阅读理解专练61
The history of microbiology begins with a Dutch cloth maker named Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, a man of no formal scientific education. In the late 1600s, Leeuwenhoek, inspired by the magnifying lenses(放大镜) he used to examine cloth, built some of the first microscopes. He developed a technique to improve the quality of tiny, rounded lenses, some of which could magnify an object up to 270 times. After removing some plaque(牙菌斑) from between his teeth and examining it under a lens, Leeuwenhoek found tiny twisting creatures, which he called “animalcules”.
His observations, which he reported to the Royal Society of London, are among the first descriptions of microbes(微生物), Leeuwenhoek discovered an entire universe invisible to the human eye. He found different microbes in samples of pond water, rain water, and human blood. He gave the first description of red blood cells, observed plant tissue, examined muscle, and investigated the life cycle of insects.
Nearly two hundred years later, Leeuwenhoek‘s discovery of microbes helped French chemist and biologist Louis Pasteur to develop his “theory of disease”. This concept suggested that disease originates from tiny organisms attacking and weakening the body. Pasteur‘s theory later helped doctors to fight infectious diseases including anthrax, diphtheria, polio, smallpox, tetanus, and typhoid. All these breakthroughs were the result of Leeuwenhoek‘s original work. Leeuwenhoek did not foresee this legacy.
In a 1716 letter, he described his contribution to science this way: “My work, which I‘ve done for a long time, was not pursued in order to gain the praise I now enjoy, but chiefly from a strong desire for knowledge, which I notice lives in me more than in most other men. And therefore, whenever I found out anything remarkable, I have thought it my duty to put down my discovery on paper, so that the scientific community might be informed of it.”
1.Which of the following best describes Leeuwenhoek
A.A trained researcher with an interest in microbiology.
B.A curious amateur who made pioneer studies of microbes.
C.A talented scientist interested in finding a cure for disease.
D.A bored cloth maker who accidentally made a major discovery.
2.The underlined phrase “this legacy” in paragraph 3 refers to _______.
A.the discovery of microbes. B.Pasteur‘s theory of disease.
C.Leeuwenhoek‘s contribution. D.the origin of the tiny organism.
3.What does the quote from Leeuwenhoek‘s letter suggest
A.He admitted that many of his discoveries happened by chance.
B.He considered his work to be central to later medical breakthroughs.
C.He was greatly concerned with improving people‘s living conditions.
D.He believed the sharing of knowledge was a key to scientific progress
4. What is the correct order for the following events
a. Magnifying lenses were built.
b. The “theory of disease” was put forward.
c. Microbes were discovered in samples of waters.
d. Leeuwenhoek‘s first microscopes were successfully developed.
e. Leeuwenhoek explained his thoughts upon his own contribution.
A.a-d-c-e-b. B.d-a-c-e-b. C.a-d-c-b-e. D.d-a-e-b-c
阅读理解专练62
African penguins bear the unfortunate nickname "jackass penguins" because they communicate through donkey-like calls, but a new study suggests that their jackass language actually follows the same basic linguistic rules as ours.
In a new study, researchers recorded nearly 600 voices from 28 adult male penguins. The scientists knew from previous research that African penguins talked using three types of sounds, similar to human syllables. But the researchers wanted to know whether those "syllables" followed two common linguistic rules.
One of those rules, called Zipf's law, was presented by linguist George Zipf. It states that the more frequently a word is used in any language, the shorter it tends to be (think of words like "the", "to" and "of" in English). Previous studies have analyzed more than 1,000 world languages for evidence of Zipf's law, and the rule holds up in all of them.
The other rule, known as the Menzerath-Altmann law, says that the longer a word is, the shorter its syllables are, while shorter words are more likely to have longer syllables. A syllable is a word or a part of a word that has only one vowel. For example, "son" has one syllable and "father" has two syllables. According to the law, the word "onomatopoeia" is made up of six very short syllables, while "couch" is made up of one longer one. Earlier studies have shown that non-human primates(灵长目动物) follow both these rules when they communicate with each other, but what about jackass penguins The researchers in the new study found that the songs of the male jackass penguin follow both Zipf's and Menzerath's laws: The shortest calls tended to be the most common, and the longest phrases were made up of the shortest syllables.
This jackass study provided the first non-human primate evidence that these common linguistic patterns apply to other species in the animal kingdom.
1.How does Zipf's law explain the words like "big", "or" and "as"
A.They let people think of shorter words.
B.They are commonly used and thus short.
C.They are frequently replaced by other words.
D.They have only one meaning and are less important.
2.What does the Menzerath-Altmann law show
A.The link between longer words and shorter words.
B.The link between longer syllables and shorter syllables.
C.The link between a word's pronunciation and its vowels.
D.The link between a word's length and its syllables' length.
3.What is the last paragraph mainly about
A.The limitation of the study. B.The importance of the study.
C.The development of linguistic patterns. D.The doubt about animals' language abilities.
4.What can be the best title for this text
A.Humans and animals share similar sounds
B.Jackass penguins make three types of sounds
C.Scientists have made a new discovery about syllables
D.African penguins' talk follows the same rules as human speech
阅读理解专练63
The word "orange" describes both a color and a fruit. Which one came first might be surprising. "Orange" when used as the name of the fruit came before "orange" as a word to describe color. While the shade itself existed before the fruit, there was not a name in the English language for the color. Before the introduction of the fruit to English-speaking countries, the color was usually described as a shade of red or yellow.
In the early 16th century, Portuguese traders brought oranges from India to Europe. The Europeans had not seen the bright colored fruit before and didn't have a name for it. The fruits were named "narancia" by Italians and "narange" by the French and were sometimes referred to as "golden apples" by English speakers.
"Orange" was first used in a phrase to describe shades of colors, including in a third-cen-tury Greek text translated into English, in 1576. It describes Alexander the Great's servants as dressed in "orange colour velvet (天鹅绒)". In 1578, a Latin-American dictionary defined "melites" as "a precious stone of orange color". While orange represents the color of the objects, it needed the word "color" to follow it in order for the meaning to be clear. In the mid-1590s, Shakespeare described a beard as "orange tawny", one of the first instances of "orange" without the word "color" as part of the expression. Tawny is a brown color often used on its own. Orange was not yet a color, just a shade of brown.
In 1616, in an account describing varieties of tulips(郁金香)that can be grown, orange was used as a stand-alone color. When Isaac Newton performed his experiments on the color spectrum(色谱), he listed it as one of the seven basic colors. After almost half a century, orange was recognized as a color on its own.
1.Which is the right time order of the appearance of "orange"
A.As a fruit→as a color→the shade itself.
B.The shade itself→as a color→as a fruit.
C.As a color→the shade itself→was a fruit.
D.The shade itself→as a fruit→was a color.
2.What were oranges called by the British in the early 1500s
A.Melites. B.Narange. C.Golden apples. D.Narancia.
3.Which of the following would be the right usage of "orange" in the 16th century
A.My ball is a melite. B.The ball is orange colour.
C.The orange ball is beautiful. D.I have an orange ball.
4.What is the best tile for the text
A.How to plant oranges B.The spread of oranges
C.Orange used as a color D.Shakespeare and oranges
阅读理解专练64
"Baby signing" classes established to improve language skills actually make little difference to children's development, according to new research. Scholars claimed there was no evidence that the lessons—in which babies are taught simple gestures to communicate their everyday needs—enable children to talk quicker than others.
In a three-year study, it was claimed that the method could make mothers more responsive to their children's behaviour but failed to actually increase babies' vocabulary. An active home environment in which parents regularly talk to their children was much more effective, researchers warned. The findings will cast doubt on the movement—born in the United States—which has proved hugely popular among middle-class parents.
Baby signing is now a multi-million-pound industry, with thousands of mothers and fathers paying for classes, books and DVDs. Young children are taught simple gestures for words and phrases to communicate their everyday needs, such as "milk" "more" "all gone" "food" and "tired". It is claimed that the technique brings great benefits, including improving the relationship between mother and child, helping language development and even increasing a child's intelligence.
But research from the University of Hertfordshire has found no evidence that using baby signing helps to improve their language development. The scholars added, "Baby signing has become big business and mums, particularly first-time mums, or less confident parents feel the pressure to do it. Some even think 'If I don't do it and everyone else does, I must be a bad mother.' "
Nevertheless, baby signing experts barely sustained the findings. Wendy Moat, 45, who has been running baby signing classes for three years, said that the classes encouraged speech development, and might help develop a higher IQ. She said, "So many mums say that their children talk so well because they did baby signing when they were babies. Parents wouldn't say it if they didn't believe it."
1.Which of the following may help improve children's language skills
A.Using simple words and phrases. B.Talking to them as much as possible
C.Buying them more books and DVDs. D.Creating a serious home environment.
2.According to Paragraph 4, what may cause some new mothers to choose baby signing classes
A.They are influenced by others. B.They are sure of the effects of the classes.
C.They don't want to be looked down upon. D.They don't know how to teach their children.
3.What does the underlined word "sustained" in the last paragraph mean
A.Obtained. B.Sought. C.Approved of. D.Figured out.
4.What's the main idea of the text
A.How to teach children to communicate effectively.
B.Baby signing classes increase children's intelligence.
C.How to improve the relationship between mother and child.
D.Baby signing classes fail to improve children's language skills.
阅读理解专练65
Scientists often compare coral reefs(珊瑚礁)to underwater rainforests, yet unlike the leafy plant base of a forest, corals are animals. The soft creatures are naturally half-transparent and get their brilliant color from algae(藻类)living inside them. When corals experience stress from hot temperatures or pollution, they halt the interdependent relationship with algae, typically pushing them out and turning white. Corals are still alive when they are white, but they’re at risk and many eventually die, turning dark brown.
Scientists around the world are looking for means to protect and maybe increase corals. One common option is to create more protected areas-----especially national parks in the ocean. Beyond nature preserves, some conservationists are looking to more hands-on methods. One research center in the Florida Keys is exploring a form of natural selection to keep corals remaining. The reef system in the Keys has been hit hard by climate change and pollution, which is especially tough, because corals there help support fisheries worth $ 100 million every year.
To keep the wild ecosystem alive, Erinn Muller, the center’s director, and her team are harvesting samples of the corals that survived the environmental stress naturally, keeping them to make them reproduce, and then reattaching them to the reef. They have 46,000 corals on plastic frames under the sea. So far, the center has regrown over 70,000 corals from five different species on damaged reefs.
In The Bahamas, Ross Cunning, a research biologist at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, focuses on corals with genes that could make them natural candidates for restoration projects. He published a study of two Bahamian reefs, one that survived an extreme 2015 heat wave, and one that didn’t. “We think their ability to deal with these higher temperatures is built into their genes,” says Cunning. There’s evidence of corals evolving more quickly to resist rapidly warming climate. The big question scientists need investigate(调查), adds Cunning, is how much more heat corals can adapt to.
1.What does the underlined word “halt” in the first paragraph mean
A.End. B.Develop. C.Strengthen. D.Weaken.
2.What do Muller and her team do to save corals
A.Grow corals by hand underwater. B.Restore the damaged reefs.
C.Move corals to unpolluted areas. D.Create more protected areas.
3.What do Cunning’s words suggest
A.Many corals have been genetically improved.
B.Cooling down the waters is the key to rescuing corals.
C.Reasons for corals surviving heat waves are shocking.
D.The highest temperature corals can survive is unclear.
4.Which can be a suitable title for the text
A.Relationship between corals and algae
B.Efforts made to save corals
C.Impact of climate warming on corals
D.Survival crisis faced by coral reefs
阅读理解专练66
Scientists, psychologists and English academics at the University of Liverpool have found that reading the works of the classical writers like Shakespeare and Wordsworth has a great effect on the mind, catches the reader's attention and triggers moments of self-examination.
Using a special machine, they monitored the brain activity of 30 volunteers as they read works by William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, T.S.Eliot and others.
In the first part of the research, the brain activity of 30 volunteers was monitored as they read passages from Shakespeare's plays, including King Lear, Othello, Coriolanus and Macbeth, and again as they read the texts rewritten in a simpler form or modern language.
While reading the common texts, normal levels of electrical activity were shown in their brains. When they read the works of Shakespeare, however, the levels of activity jumped because of his use of words which were unfamiliar to them. The result of the test showed that the more challenging passages cause a greater degree of electrical activity in the brain than the common ones.
The researchers went on to study the brain activity as it responded to each word and recorded how it lit up as the readers came across unusual words, surprising phrases or difficult sentences in the classical works. As a result, this lightening-up process of the mind lasted longer than when volunteers read common texts, encouraging further reading.
The research also found that reading poetry especially increases activity in the right hemisphere(半球) of the brain, an area connected with "autobiographical memory", driving the readers to think carefully about their own experiences based on what they have read. The academics said this meant the classical works of literature are more useful than self-help books.
Philip Davis, an English professor who has worked on the study in the university's Magnetic Resonance Imaging Centre, announced this week: "Classical literature acts like a rocket booster(火箭助推器) to the brain, which provides extra power for the brain. You may never imagine how powerful it is. The research shows such kind of literature can create new thoughts and connections in the young and the old."
1.What does the underlined word "triggers" in Paragraph 1 probably mean
A.Depends on. B.Picks up. C.Sets off. D.Changes into.
2.Which of the following is NOT true about reading classical literature
A.It makes readers'brains more active than when they are reading common texts.
B.It makes readers' electrical activity of the brain return to normal.
C.It's helpful for readers to come up with new ideas.
D.It's an activity that is suitable for people of all ages.
3.What can we learn from the research
A.The readers prefer Shakespeare's works to other writers' works.
B.The words of classical works make it hard for volunteers to read further.
C.Reading classical works produces a good and long-lasting effect on the mind.
D.Poetry increases left-brain activity more than other literary forms.
4.What does the author mainly tell us in this passage
A.Shakespeare's plays deserve to be read. B.Common books are unpopular anymore.
C.Poetry is best for developing one's brain. D.Classical works help the brain develop better.
阅读理解专练67
When school closes, poor pupils lose the last social institution—one that educates, feeds, and sometimes clothes them—whereas richer pupils are gaining relatively more advantages. Disruptions to schooling tend to lower achievements while increasing inequality.
A new industry of "Learning Pods", where a group of families pool cash to pay for an in-person tutor, is deepening that inequality. Scoot Education, whose normal business is providing substitute teachers for schools, quickly developed a sideline in learning pods in California. For younger pupils, the total cost of a pod, shared among all parents, is $349 a day, which is beyond what a poor family can afford. "Rich families can always find a way to educate their children, even if COVID-19 pandemic had not started," says Sarah Cohodes, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Thus, if there would be no extraordinary interventions in the closing of schools, the long-term effects on those poor students are predictable.
A team of five education scholars recently calculated that American schoolchildren in 2020 learnt 30% less reading and 50% less maths than they would in a typical year. Despite that, the top third of pupils posted gains in reading. Data from Opportunity Insights, an economic-research team at Harvard University, shows that after lockdowns began in March pupils from low-income neighbourhoods fell permanently behind on online maths coursework, while those from richer areas quickly rebounded.
Then there is the problem of access to online classes. Nearly half of native American pupils and 35% of black and Hispanic ones do not have access to either a computer or the Internet at home, compared with 19% of whites. Worsening mental health among poorer families will also hurt achievements. Elizabeth Ananat of Barnard College and Anna Gassman-Pines of Duke University surveyed part-time workers in Philadelphia who had young children; half were showing their anxiety or depression for children's schooling.
1.What do we know about Learning Pods
A.It was started as the key business by Scoot Education.
B.Families can afford this teaching model with $349 a day.
C.It is a long-existing method to find an in-person tutor.
D.It worsens educational inequality to some extent.
2.What does the underlined word "rebounded" in Paragraph 4 mean
A.Learned maths in advance. B.Performed poorly in maths.
C.Regained improvement in maths. D.Showed permanent love to maths.
3.What is Paragraph 5 mainly about
A.Effects of educational inequality. B.Psychological problems of the pupils.
C.Opportunities to use online resources. D.Low academic achievement of the poor.
4.Where is the text probably selected from
A.A health magazine. B.An educational report.
C.A science textbook. D.A learning guide.
阅读理解专练68
When we think of flavor, it is our noses and taste buds that we think of first. Isn’t it obvious that taste and smell are the dominant senses when we enjoy food and drink Well, perhaps not.
“Years ago, flavor was a table with two legs—taste and odor (气味),” Terry E. Acree, PhD, who is with Cornell University’s Department of Food Science, told National Geographic. “Now we are beginning to understand that flavor depends on parts of the brain that involve not only taste, smell and touch, but vision. These signals, plus our emotions and past experiences, result in perception (感受) of flavors, and decide whether we like or dislike foods.”
A good example of “the first bite is taken with the eye” is that if we were shown two plates of strawberries, one red and the other pinkish, the majority of us would be attracted to red because “it signals ripeness, sweetness and calories”, explained The Guardian.
The findings of a German study seem to back this up. Its subjects said wine tasted 50 percent sweeter if drunk under red light, rather than under blue or white.
In another study published in the journal Flavour, scientists found that the color of your coffee mug (马克杯) can change the way your coffee tastes, reported The Washington Post. And it is not just the color of the food that matters.
Specifically, a white mug was associated with a more “intense” (or bitter) tasting cup of coffee, while a clear glass mug was not.
A blue mug, meanwhile, was “kind of an intermediate (中等的)”, Charles Spence, an experimental psychologist at Oxford University, told the newspaper.
The opposite was true for perceived sweetness – the participants tasted less sweetness when they drank from a white mug than they did when they drank from both a blue mug and a clear glass mug.
It’s also possible that certain colors are associated with certain experiences. In the case of coffee, the researchers believe the color brown might be something people associate with bitterness.
“A white mug may have affected the perceived brownness of the coffee and this, in turn, may have affected the perceived intensity (and sweetness) of the coffee,” the researchers wrote.
1.Which of the following statements might Terry E. Acree agree with most
A.The flavor of food mainly depends on taste and smell.
B.The link between flavor and vision has not been proved yet.
C.Our emotions can influence the flavor of the food we are eating.
D.Our perception of flavor has nothing to do with our past experiences.
2.What does the strawberry experiment in Paragraph 3 show
A.We are usually tricked by our eyes about the flavor of food.
B.Food flavor varies greatly between different people.
C.The color of food can affect the way we perceive its flavor.
D.Food flavor is closely associated with our past experiences
3.According to the article, it might help people who want their coffee sweet to serve it in a ______ mug.
A.black B.red C.clear D.white
4.What is the article mainly about
A.Methods that can help to make food taste better.
B.Factors that affect our perception of flavor.
C.How coffee mugs influence the taste of coffee.
D.A new study about our perception of flavor.
阅读理解专练69
The flight of butterflies has so far been somewhat of a secret to researchers, given their unusually large and broad wings relative to their body size. Now researchers at Lund University in Sweden have studied the aerodynamics(空气动力) of butterflies in the wind tunnel (风洞). The results suggest that butterflies use a highly helpful clap technique, therefore making use of their unique wings. This helps them rapidly take off when escaping natural enemies.
The researchers studied the wingbeats of freely flying butterflies during takeoff in the wind tunnel. During the upward process, the wings cup, creating an air-filled pocket between them. When the wings strike each other, the air is forced out, resulting in a backward strong stream of air that pushes the butterflies forward. The downward wingbeat has another function: the butterflies stay in the air and do not fall to the ground.
The wings' striking was described by researchers almost 50 years ago, but it is only in this study that the theory has been tested on real butterflies in free flight. Until now, it has been generally believed that butterfly wings are aerodynamically inefficient. However, the researchers suggest that the opposite is actually true.
"That the wings are cupped when butterflies clap them together, makes the wing clap much more effective. It is an elegant mechanism that is far more advanced than we imagined, and it is fascinating,” says biology researcher Per Henningsson, who studied the butterflies’ aerodynamics. "The results of the study could help inspire improved performance and flight technology in small unmanned aircraft," he continues.
In addition to studying the butterflies, the researchers designed mechanical wings that are modeled on real ones. The shape and flexibility of the mechanical wings as they are cupped and folded confirm the efficiency. Their measurements show that the pushing force created by the flexible wings is 22 percent higher and the efficiency 28 percent better compared to if the wings had been rigid.
1.What does the researchers' study focus on？
A. The butterfly's body size. B. The butterfly's escape technique.
C. The butterfly's flying principle. D. The butterfly's frequency of wingbeats.
2.For what purpose do butterfly wings strike？
A. To circle steadily in the air. B. To form an air pocket.
C. To release their additional energy. D. To empty the air pocket for forward force.
3.Why were the mechanical wings made？
A. They might draw public attention.
B. They could be used to test the findings.
C. They'd show results in line with popular belief.
D. They helped avoid experimenting on live butterflies.
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text？
A. Butterfly Adapts Itself to the Wild Survival
B. Butterfly Wing Clap Explains Secret of Flight
C. Flexible Wings Boost Aircraft Making Industry
D. New Discoveries Are Made Based on Aerodynamics
阅读理解专练70
一、
Children may learn new words better when they learn them in the context of other words they are just learning—according to a new research from the University of East Anglia.
Researchers investigated how 18-24-month-olds learn new words—in the context of words they already know well and those they don’t. The findings help explain how children learn new words and suggest a new way that parents and carers could help boost language development.
Previous research suggests that when children hear a word they do not know and see an object they have never seen in the context of some objects that they can already name, such as a toy or a ball, they guess that the new word refers to the new thing.
Dr. Larissa Samuelson from the university wanted to know if the strength of a child’s knowledge of familiar things – how well they know what “cars” or “balls” are, for example – mattered for learning new words and remembering them. They asked 82 children to take part in the study and carry out two experiments among them. And then they got some really surprising findings.
"We had expected that a stronger knowledge of familiar words would be better for learning new words, but we found the opposite was true." Dr Samuelson said. "This new study suggests another way we might be able to help boost children’s ability to remember new word-object links—by teaching them in the context of other things that they are just learning."
It seems counterintuitive, but it is perhaps because the less well-known items don’t compete with the new words as much. If they learn new words in the context of playing with well-known items such as a ball or book, they don’t process the new word as much.
1.What is the purpose of the new research
A.To challenge the findings of previous studies. B.To observe the process of children's learning.
C.To better understand children's word learning. D.To compare children's different learning styles.
2.What can be inferred from Dr. Samuelson’s words
A.Their findings are out of expectation. B.Their research should focus on children.
C.We should be more patient with children. D.We need to provide guidance on learning.
3.What does the underlined word “counterintuitive” mean in the last paragraph
A.Consistent. B.Encouraging. C.Impractical. D.Unreasonable.
4.What does the text mainly tell us
A.Less familiar words help children learn better.
B.Word-object links contribute to better learning.
C.New research finds the secrets of raising children.
D.Children learn better with the help of their parents.
阅读理解专练71
The Olympic spirit is about a lot more than winning medals and setting records. Just look at the story of swimmer Eric Moussambani.
The Equatoguinean found his passion for swimming shortly after high school. Unfortunately, football is far and away the most popular sport in Moussambani's home country. Living in such a football-crazed country, it was difficult for Moussambani to find a place to train consistently(持续地).Eventually, he found a 13-meter-sized hotel pool that he only had access to three hours a week. On days he could not use the pool, he trained in rivers.
After about eight months of swimming, he gained entry into the 2000 Summer Olympics through a program where the International Olympic Committee gave wildcards to developing nations to promote their sport further. In Sydney, Moussambani saw an Olympic-sized swimming pool for the first time, which was so big that Moussambani said he was “so scared” to compete in it.
The day of the 100m freestyle came. Moussambani made an energetic start in the first 50 meters, but in the final half of the race, he struggled to stay afloat(漂浮着),so much so that those on the sidelines considered jumping in and helping him out of the water. “"It was then that I heard the crowd screaming and shouting, encouraging me to 'Go, go, go.' It gave me the strength to finish,”Moussambani said.
Moussambani finished the race with a time of 1:52.72, the slowest recorded time in Olympic history, but the fans did not care, cheering him as if he had broken the world record. “This is what the Olympics are all about," a commentator said. “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning, but taking part. The essential thing in life is not defeating others, but fighting well," he said.
Moussambani serves as the national swim team coach for Equatorial Guinea now. Gone are the days when Equatoguinean swimmers needed to train in open water. They now have two Olympic-sized swimming pools. Moussambani hopes to grow the sport in his country.
1.Why did Moussambani fail to get proper swimming training
A.Swimming was not taken seriously in his country.
B.Swimming in rivers appealed to him.
C.He was busy with his schoolwork.
D.He could not afford it.
2.How did Moussambani do in the race
A.He was too scared to swim.
B.He quit at the first sign of trouble.
C.He finished with great difficulty.
D.He was pulled out of the water halfway.
3.What did the commentator think of Moussambani
A.He showed the Olympic spirit.
B.He was a talented swimmer.
C.He disappointed his fans.
D.He could have fought better.
4.What does Moussambani wish to do now
A.Build some Olympic-sized swimming pools.
B.Promote swimming in his country.
C.Coach the national swim team.
D.Win an Olympic medal.
阅读理解专练72
What will the future be like Good or bad A lot of science-fictional writing imagines a world which is dark and scary. In Blade Runner, Harrison Ford hunts robots in a chaotic(混乱的) Los Angeles. Planet of the Apes shows a hopeless future to humankind.
There's a word to describe the kind of future world which often appears in science fiction: dystopia. It means an imagined place where things are unpleasant or bad. The opposite is utopia. But does tomorrow's world have to be so disappointing
No. A new project wants to use the power of science fiction to inspire people to create a better future. Project Hieroglyph brings together writers, scientists, engineers and artists to create optimistic stories about things which really could happen in the next 50 years.
It's just a matter of making an effort. Experts say it's easier to create a dystopia than write a feel-good story. There's more conflict in a world full of problems, and stories are interesting when there are a lot of problems to solve. No challenge, no story!
But the project produced a book with some promising plots. One of them is about environmentalists who fight to stop entrepreneurs(创业者) from building the first hotel in Antarctica. Well, there's conflict and it seems reasonable, so it could be a good story.
But will these stories actually change something or just keep us entertained Ed Finn, the book's editor, thinks the former. He says: "A good science-fictional story can be very powerful. It can inspire hundreds, thousands, millions of people to do something that they want to do."
The influence of science fiction can already be seen in modern research, says Professor Braden Allenby. He asks: "Why are people working on, for example, invisibility cloaks(斗篷) Well, Harry Potter uses the cloak, right "
Time will tell how far we can go. Let's dream big and think outside the box. Who knows what wonderful things we can come up with
1.What does the underlined word "utopia" in Paragraph 2 most probably mean
A.A real world where people can do anything they like.
B.An imagined place where things are unpleasant or bad.
C.An imaginary perfect world where everyone is happy.
D.A wild and terrible place where no one can live happily.
2.Why do experts say "it's easier to create a dystopia than write a feel-good story"
A.A dystopia needs less imagination. B.A feel-good story is more interesting.
C.There is no conflict in a feel-good story. D.There are more problems to solve in a dystopia.
3.Why does Professor Braden Allenby take "invisibility cloaks" as an example
A.To catch readers' attention. B.To amuse science fiction readers.
C.To introduce a science-fictional story. D.To show the influence of science fiction.
4.What is the best title for the passage
A.What Is Science Fiction B.Can Science Fiction Help Us
C.What Will Man Do in the Future D.Shall We Live a Better Life in the Future
阅读理解专练73
Tobogganing, or sledding (雪橇), likely comes before the colonization of North America. Records show that Canada's First Peoples used small sleds to transport their belongings and food between camps, Raymond Flower writes in The History of Skiing and Other Winter Sports. But modern-day sled races can trace their origins back to the Swiss Alps in the late 1800s when British tourists decided to race in wooden luges (a sled used by one person) that locals had used to travel through snow. The origin is debatable in snowy northern New York, however, where there's evidence that Albany held bobsled (a sled used by two or more people) races as early as 1885.
Wherever they began, sled races quickly became popular. The famous Cresta Run, named after the Swiss town near the base of its course, was built in 1885 using snowbanks. The first organized competition was in 1898, hosted by the first bobsled club in nearby St. Moritz (a city in Switzerland). It was then that sledding began to separate from the luge to include two new sports: bob sledding, and skeleton sledding (俯式雪橇).
Cresta Run is considered the birthplace of the skeleton, a particularly daring form of sled-ding. Unlike the luge, where competitors ride feet-first on a sled with metal runners, the skeleton sledding is a steel sled with a slim appearance. Riders lie down on the sled headfirst, then drop suddenly down an ice track. Bobsledding, meanwhile, involves teams of two to four in which the person in front controls directions and the player in back brakes when needed. It earned its name after competitors started swinging back and forth to speed up the sled.
Bobsledding initially overtook skeleton sledding in popularity, becoming one of a handful of sports played at the first Winter Games in 1924. The skeleton sledding was limited to the Cresta Run for decades because other bob runs around the world were not built for the steel skeleton sled. But in the 1970s, adjustments were made to both the skeleton and bob runs in order to include the event at future winter games.
1.What can we infer about Raymond Flower
A. He is a writer. B.He is good at sledding.
C. He invented the sledding race. D.He set the first record of sledding.
2. How does skeleton sledding differ from the luge
A. Skeleton sledding runs on metal runners.
B. Skeleton sledding doesn't have back brakes.
C. Riders on Skeleton sledding sled with their feet.
D.Skeleton sledding needs players to lie down on it headfirst.
3. What limited the popularity of skeleton sledding
A. Its special shape. B. Its speed.
C. Its steel runners. D. Its unsuitable adjustments.
4.What can be the best title for the text
A. Why is sledding so popular B. How did sledding develop in Switzerland
C.What are sledding adventures about D.How did people kill time in North America
阅读理解专练74
If you learned about Thanksgiving in an American elementary school, chances are that the holiday is in honor of how the Pilgrim(清教徒) of Plymouth, Mass, celebrated the harvest by enjoying a dinner with their friendly Indian neighbors. This story is inspired by a real 1621 meal, which reflects neither the 17th century nor the 21st century understanding of it.
An 1889 novel that described Thanksgiving as an outdoor feast became a best-seller. The growing ad industry helped spread popular images of the tale. By the 1920s, Thanksgiving was the most talked-about holiday in U.S. classrooms. The parts that made the colonists(殖民者) look bad were left out.
However, many classrooms are beginning to change. And on a recent Saturday morning in Washington D.C., about two dozens teachers went to the National Museum of the American Indian to learn a better way to teach the Thanksgiving story. When Gokey, the museum’s teacher-services worker, explained that early Thanksgivings celebrated the burning of a Pequot village in 1637 and the killing of Wampanoag leader Massasoit’s son, listeners felt shocked.
"I look back now and realize I was teaching a lot of wrong facts and ideas,” Tonia Parker, a second-grade teacher told TIME.
Teachers like the ones at the workshop know that change is coming, and state social-studies standards increasingly encourage students to look at history from multiple angles. Moreover, teaching a better lesson about thankfulness is something anyone can support.
At the workshop in Washington, after learning something new, participants learned to say Wado. That Cherokee word means “Thank you”.
1.What did Americans learn about Thanksgiving from the elementary school
A.It was first celebrated in 1889.
B.It was a family feast for the Pilgrims.
C.It reflected the real history of the 17th century.
D.It showed the friendship between the Pilgrims and Indians.
2.Why did some teachers go to the National Museum of the American Indian
A.To confirm the importance of the holiday.
B.To prepare for the changing of the classroom.
C.To find a more appropriate way to teach Thanksgiving.
D.To correct their misunderstanding about Thanksgiving.
3.What can we infer from the last two paragraphs
A.Wado means “Thank you ”in Cherokee.
B.Lessons about thankfulness are increasingly popular.
C.Participants at the workshop learned to support each other.
D.Students are encouraged to see history from different aspects.
4.What would be the best title of the text
A.The Importance of Thanksgiving Education
B.Thanksgiving: a Holiday with a Hidden Truth
C.Thanksgiving: a Holiday Popularized by a Novel
D.The Reform of Education in American Classrooms
阅读理解专练75
In many—even most—space-themed films, whenever the Earth faces a disaster, the solution is always leaving the planet by spaceship. But an amazing Chinese sci-fi movie, The Wandering Earth, offers a different idea.
In the film, which is adapted from a short story by Chinese sci-fi writer Liu Cixin, the Earth is in danger of being destroyed by the dying Sun. Humans around the world work together to build a huge engine system that will push the Earth away from the Sun. Instead of leaving the Earth behind, this time we're taking it with us.
This idea didn't come from nowhere. For thousands of years, Chinese people have had a special emotion towards their "homeland" in their hearts and minds. One old saying is "luo ye gui gen", which means returning to one's homeland in old age, like fallen leaves returning to the roots of their trees. Or look at an ancient poem: "The season called the White Dew(白露) begins tonight. Nowhere as in our native place is the moon so bright." These both show the strong relationship that Chinese people have had with their homeland.
This is probably what sets The Wandering Earth apart from Hollywood-style space films. "What Chinese sci-fi " Guo Fan, the film's director, said in an interview. "Films that can really express our cultural and spiritual core(精神核心) can be called Chinese sci-fi. Otherwise, we're just copying others and telling the same American stories."
And the makers of The Wandering Earth may have chosen the best time to tell the Chinese sci-fi story. The film was screened on Feb 5, the first day of Chinese New Year in 2019. It was a time when many people had just made the hard journey back to their hometown. So to them, there is only one possible way to tell the story: The Earth goes wherever humans go, because it's our home.
1.What can we know about The Wandering Earth from the passage
A.It follows the latest film fashion. B.It is based on Liu Cixin's book.
C.It is a film copying foreign movies. D.It offers us a new experience of watching films.
2.What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about
A.The suitable season when the film was screened.
B.The famous poems mentioned in the film.
C.The common points between Chinese films and foreign films.
D.The cultural background of the film.
3.Why did the makers choose the first day of Chinese New Year to put on the film
A.It was the Spring Festival and many people had time to see it.
B.Many old people wanted to return to their hometown.
C.It can arouse many people's common feelings at that time.
D.Chinese people usually celebrate together on that day.
4.What can we infer from Guo Fan's words
A.The American sci-fi fails to express its culture.
B.The Wandering Earth tells a foreign story.
C.Chinese sci-fi films should have their own features.
D.Sci-fi films should express certain spiritual cores.
阅读理解专练76
If you make a list of the world’s top ten most challenging jobs, chances are that being a teacher will not make the cut. But think about the discouraging task millions of educators face each day as they try to shape a group of often bad-tempered, wild kids into intelligent, well-rounded individuals. That surely has to be the toughest job in the world, especially given that there is no promotion or bonus awaiting them even if they are wildly successful!
What if these all-important individuals that we often take for granted disappear from our lives That was what Project Ed and Participant Media’s Teach campaign asked filmmakers of all ages to imagine in their recently-held competition. Entitled “A World Without Teachers”, its purpose was to inspire more young people to become teachers. However, the 62 amazing video submissions also serve as a reminder of how horrible things would be if we didn’t have these selfless individuals guiding us through life. What was interesting is that even the youngest participants did not appear to be happy at the idea of not having anybody telling them what to do.
High-school student Savannah Wakefield reflected if art as we know it today would have been different without teachers. Would Monet have discovered his talent for impressionism Los Angeles-based Miles Horst, who won the 1000 USD prize for the best adult submission imagines a world where teachers are replaced by a “brain box” in his fun lively entry.
Youth category winner Marina Barham’s video represents a fact we all know but often forget. Teachers don’t just teach, they inspire—something that no electronic device, no matter how smart, can do! So the next time you think your teacher is being “mean” for trying to channel you in the right direction, imagine a life without him/her. We have a feeling it will not appear as rosy!
1.What is the text mainly about
A.The significance of teachers.
B.The campaign to promote teachers’ status.
C.A survey of people’s views about teachers.
D.A competition to win the prize for the best teacher.
2.From the passage we can learn that ________.
A.teaching naughty kids is a very discouraging task
B.being a teacher is one of the most challenging jobs in the world
C.a successful teacher has the greatest chance to be promoted
D.teachers have little influence on kids’ individual development
3.What is the purpose of the project “A World Without Teachers”
A.To attract kids to submit more videos of their teachers.
B.To encourage more people to go into teaching career.
C.To expect teachers to devote themselves to their jobs.
D.To remind students to appreciate teachers’ hard work.
4.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 suggest
A.Teaching is quite different from other jobs.
B.The future of teachers’ work appears inspiring.
C.A world without teachers will be unimaginable.
D.Many people attach more importance to teaching.
阅读理解专练77
Chinese people love food made of flour, whether it be dumplings, or flatbread. In the hands of skilled artisans (手艺人),flour is made into lovely models of people or animals to be enjoyed and played with, which brings a unique kind of pleasure. This art form is called dough figurine (面塑).Among the various art styles of dough figurines, Beijing's Dough Figurine Lang is a unique folk art, which is filled with the rich history and customs of the capital city; Their delicate and lovely handicrafts are storytellers of old and new Beijing. In 2008, it was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.
It was created by Lang Shao'an. Most of the dough figurines are animals and characters from legends, historical stories, and local operas. The finished product is either put at the end of a thin stick, or on a table for display. Some are mostly for children to eat or play with, with simple forms and vivid decorations, while some are delicate pieces of artwork for display only. For this reason, during the making process, they are often mixed with additives (添加剂)to prevent them from breaking up, being eaten by insects or growing moldy. Over the course of his long career, Lang Shao'an developed a set of skilled fingers with an elegant artistic sense.
Lang Jiaziyu, born in 1995, is the third-generation inheritor of Dough Figurine Lang. When he was 15, he created Beijing Olympic Mascot-shaped dough figurines which were highly praised. He looks a bit more fashionable than other folk artisans. In his skilled hands, pop culture icons such as figures based on Marvel comics characters and Chinese mythological figure Nezha with smoky makeup, are resonating with young people.
Like most of the other intangible cultural heritage handicrafts in China, Dough Figurine Lang does not get as much attention from the public. Many young people are unwilling to take the time to master a skill that does not make money, which has led to a decline in the number of those who are devoted to the handicraft. Good handicrafts need the devotion of artisans from one generation to another.
1.What is special about Dough Figurine Lang
A.It reflects Beijing's culture. B.It is created by many famous artists.
C.It shows people's lifestyles and beliefs. D.It is popular with both tourists and the locals.
2.Why do artisans add additives to dough figurines
A.To make dough figurines taste good. B.To keep colors brighter and last longer.
C.To help shape dough into various forms. D.To better preserve the finished products.
3.What is the third paragraph mainly about
A.Suggestions for other folk artisans. B.Different art styles of dough figurines.
C.Lang Jiaziyu's achievements as an artisan. D.The popularity of modem dough figurines.
4.What is the main purpose of the passage
A.To call on people to master a skill.
B.To appeal to people to value this folk art.
C.To teach people ways to appreciate the handicraft.
D.To persuade people to protect national cultural heritage.
阅读理解专练78
Karunori Takishima has been traveling the world to support Japan at every Olympie Cames for the past 15 years, so he intended to see the event in his home city of Tokyo. But when a ban on audience was announced, that dream was over.
He had spent nearly $40,000 on 197 tickets for him and his friends to see as many events as possible during Tokyo 2020, which started on July 23.
"It took an unbelievable amount of time, effort, and passion."Takishima told CNN." But I was so passionate about the Olympics that even though it was very difficult and challenging. I enjoyed the process of buying the tickets."
The 45-year-old businessman worked out that if he watched all the events he had booked, he would have broken the Guinness World Record for attendance at Olympic events. He got a refund（退款）on the tickets he had purchased.
Takishima's love for the Olympics started in 2005 when he saw a figure skating competition for the first time and immediately bought tickets for the 2006 Torino Olympics in Italy. He was infatuated. It inspired him so much that he has been going to the Olympics ever since.
But this year, only members of the media and the selected people were allowed to watch the events. The decision by Olympic officials to ban audience was designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
"And it's the athletes that will suffer the most from the lack of support in the stands，"Takishima said.
"It's a great loss when your family can't come，"Takishima said." So I hope everyone will at least cheer for them in front of the TV."
Despite his disappointment, he said the experience wouldn't stop him from being an Olympic superfan."I will continue to visit and support the Olympics until the day I die，"Takishima said." While I'm still able to move. I plan to see all the Cames from the opening to the closing ceremonies."
1.What was Kazunori Takishima's dream？
A.To break the Guinness World Record.
B.To support Japan at every Olympic Games.
C.To compete in the Olympic Games as an athlete.
D.To watch the Tokyo Olympic Games on the scene.
2.What problem did Kazunori Takishima meet with？
A.His efforts got nowhere. B.He failed to get enough tickets.
C.His business suffered a great loss. D.He had to watch the Games alone.
3.What does the underlined word "infatuated" in paragraph 5 probably mean？
A.Upset. B.Ambitious. C.Interested. D.Surprised.
4.Who would be affected most without the audience in the Games according to Takishima？
A.The sponsors. B.The judges.
C.The Olympic officials. D.The athletes.
阅读理解专练79
Becoming a parent brings out the best in many animals. Although parenting is usually left to the females, males from many species go above and beyond to care for the offspring. Take anemone fish(海葵鱼) for example. In finding Nemo, Marlin swims over 1,000 miles from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney to rescue his son Nemo, who has been caught by divers. In reality, anemone fish rarely move so far away from their home.
Despite their smaller size, the males help the females defend the nest, but only the male anemone fish take care of it. They use their fins as fans to provide a constant flow of oxygen and keep the surroundings clean. They also put a lot of effort in building the nest.
The eggs take about five days to hatch. During this important period, dads fan them to provide oxygen and remove the rubbish. They also pick up the eggs in their mouths and move them around to remove any bacteria. One of the biggest threats comes from female sticklebacks(刺鱼), who form organized groups and attack the nests to eat all the eggs.
Males defend the newborn fish and bring back the ones who move too far from the nest. Once the fish grow up, they become a little bit more independent and start to swim away. The dad swims after them, picks them up in his mouth, and spits them back into his nest. Eventually, he gets to the point where he can’t keep track of them and that’s when they separate.
Doting(溺爱的) fathers are not restricted to the world of fish. In some poison frog species, the dads also warn the moms when the young ones are hungry and need to be fed. It’s generally believed that moms are the caregivers. In fish and frogs, it’s actually more common for the dads to provide care.
1.What does the underlined word “offspring” in paragraph 1 probably mean
A.Children. B.Relatives. C.Friends. D.Colleagues.
2.What can we infer about male anemone fish
A.They take full responsibility for building the nest.
B.They are much larger than female anemone fish.
C.They are actually extremely excellent fathers.
D.They frequently make attacks on other fishes.
3.What does it mean when the dad can’t track its young fish
A.The dad can’t tend to the young fish. B.The young fish are already independent.
C.The living environment is worse. D.The dad is in a state of aging.
4.What can be the best title for the text
A.The Model Father in the Animal Kingdom B.The New Role of the Male Anemone Fish
C.The Really Caring Caregivers in Life D.A Strange Phenomenon in Nature
阅读理解专练80
一、
The exact location in France where Dutch master Vincent van Gogh painted his last work of art has been discovered.
A Dutch researcher figured out that a scene described in the artist’s last work, Tree Roots, was visible on a postcard showing a man standing next to a bicycle on a back street of the village Auvers-sur-Oise. Van Gogh spent the last weeks of his life in the village. Helpfully, the card even included the name of the street.
Researchers were given a unique glimpse(体验) into the famous painter’s final hours. He was at work right up to the end.
Wouter van der Veen, scientific director of the Van Gogh Institute in France, made the discovery. While stuck at home, van de Veen used the extra time to organize the numerous files and documents on van Gogh, including images such as the old postcard from Auvers-sur-Oise. One day in late April, he saw the card on his computer screen and it suddenly struck him that he was looking at the location of Tree Roots. Next to the man and his bicycle, roots and trees are clearly visible. He took a virtual trip down the site using Google’s Street View.
“Villagers know the spot and the main tree root well, even giving it the name ‘the elephant’ because of its shapes,” van der Veen said. “It was really hiding in overt sight.”
The discovery provides tourists with an extra reason to visit Auvers-sur-Oise. “They travel a lot just for one reason—to walk in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh. Now they can stand at the very place where he painted his last painting,” van der Veen said. “And that’s a very moving thing for a lot of people. So I'm very happy, to be able to share that with all those who love van Gogh.”
1.What is paragraph 2 mainly about
A.What the postcard revealed.
B.How Tree Roots was discovered.
C.Why Auvers-sur-Oise became known.
D.Where van Gogh painted his works.
2.How did van der Veen confirm his discovery
A.He studied a picture of Auvers-sur-Oise.
B.He organized his data on van Gogh.
C.He traveled to France to see for himself.
D.He paid a visit to the spot online.
3.What does the underlined word “overt” in paragraph 5 mean
A.Mixed. B.Obvious. C.Lovely. D.Strange.
4.What can we infer about tourists to Auvers-sur-Oise
A.They enjoy exploring how to paint.
B.They share their love for van Gogh.
C.They admire van Gogh very much.
D.They want to experience the life there.
专题04.答案
阅读理解专练61
答案：1.B; 2.C; 3.D; 4.A
阅读理解专练62
答案：1-4 BDBD
阅读理解专练63
答案：1.D; 2.C; 3.B; 4.C
阅读理解专练64
答案：1-4 BACD
阅读理解专练65
答案：1.A; 2.A; 3.D; 4.B
阅读理解专练66
答案：1-4 CBCD
阅读理解专练67
答案：1-4 DCAB
阅读理解专练68
答案：1.C; 2.C; 3.C; 4.B
阅读理解专练69
答案：1.B; 2.D; 3.B; 4.B
阅读理解专练70
答案：1-4 CADA
阅读理解专练71
答案：1.A; 2.C; 3.A; 4.B
阅读理解专练72
答案：1-4 CDDB
阅读理解专练73
答案：1-4 ADCB
阅读理解专练74
答案：1-4 DCDB
阅读理解专练75
答案：1-4 BDCC
阅读理解专练76
答案：1.A; 2.B; 3.B; 4.C
阅读理解专练77
答案：1.A; 2.D; 3.C; 4.B
阅读理解专练78
答案：1-4 DACD
阅读理解专练79
答案：1.A; 2.C; 3.B; 4.A
阅读理解专练80
答案：1.A; 2.D; 3.B; 4.C
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