高考英语阅读理解随堂练(八)

2009年高考英语阅读理解随堂练（八）

A

Because plants cannot move or talk, most people believe that they have no feelings and that they cannot receive signals from outside. However, this may not be completely true.

People who studied plants have found out that plants carry a small electrical charge (电荷). It is possible to measure this charge with a small piece of equipment called “galvanometer”. The galvanometer is placed on a leaf off the plant, and it records any changes in the electrical field of the leaf. Humans have a similar field which can change when we are shocked or frightened.

A man called Backster used a galvanometer for his studies of plants and was very surprised at his results. He found that if he had two or more plants in a room and he began to destroy one of them －perhaps by pulling off its leaves or by pulling it out of its pot －then the galvanometer on the leaves of the other plants showed a change in the electrical field. It seemed as if the plants were signalling a feeling of shock. This happened not only when Backster started to destroy plants, but also when he destroyed other living things such as insects (昆虫).

Backster said that the plants also knew if someone had destroyed a living thing some distance away, because they signalled when a man who had just cut down a tree entered the room.

Another scientist, named Sauvin, achieved similar results to Backster’s. He kept galvanometers fixed to his plants all the time and checked regularly to see what the plants were doing. If he was out of the office, he telephoned to find out about the signals the plants were sending. In this way, he found that the plants were sending out signals at the exact times when he felt strong pleasure or pain. In fact, Sauvin could cause a change in the electrical field of his plants over a distance of a few miles simply by thinking about them.

1. Backster was surprised at the results of his studies because _____.

A. he destroyed an insect

B. he destroyed a plant by pulling off its leaves

C. he found that plants could express feelings of shock

D. he found that plants could move and speak after all

2. The plants sent out signals _____.

A. only when Backster Started to destroy plants

B. when Backster destroyed plants or other living things

C. only when he destroyed things such as insects

D. only when Backster placed the galvanometer on the leaves of the plants

3. The scientist called Sauvin _____.

A. did not agree with Backster’s ideas

B. did not get the same sort of results as Backster did

C. got different results from Backster’s

D. found out some of the same things that Backster did

4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. The electrical charge plants carry may shock or frighten us.

B. A tree will signal when it has been cut down.

C. Sauvin could make his plants send out signals some distance away.

D. Plants have feelings because they can receive signals without moving.

B

With the support of our readers, China Today has become successful in helping the world learn about China, and has built a bridge of friendship between the people of China and the rest of the world.

Every day we receive many letters from our readers expressing their admiration for China, their appreciation of our work, and suggestions for improving the quality of the magazine. Some letters are published in “Postbag” while others are kept for reference.

Many readers have suggested contests to develop closer contact (联系) between readers and editors. We held a History and Tourism Contest in 1995 and a China Travel Contest in 1996. We received warm responses to both.

This year, China Today is holding a Reading Contest. Questions, chosen from articles published this year, will appear every three issues (期). Entrants (参赛者) must mail their answers before January 31, 1999. Fifty entries (参加) with correct answers to all the questions will be selected as prize winners. All the winners will be named in the April 1999 issue. Please address your entries to:

Mr. Kang Jing

China Today

24 Baiwanzhuang Road

Beijing, China, 100037

Fax: 0086 －010 －68238338

The First Three Questions:

1. What was Shanghai’s GDP in 1996?

2. How much of the Chinese population still lacks enough food and clothing?

3. When was the law on the Organization of the Villager Committees of the People’s Republic of China passed?

Please do not post your answers right away, but wait until all the questions have been published.

1. If you are going to be an entrant, how many ways can you send your entries to China Today?

A. It’s not clear.

B. Only one.

C. No less than two.

D. At least three.

2. According to the passage, we can draw a conclusion that ____.

A. fifty people who answer all the questions correctly may see their names in the April 1999 issue

B. all the people who answer the three questions correctly may see their names in the April 1999 issue

C. all the people who answer all the questions correctly must win prizes

D. all the people who answer the three questions correctly can win prizes

3. Supposing China Today is a monthly, this one in which there are the first three questions can be ____

A. the January 1995 issue

B. the January 1999 issue

C. the May 1997 issue

D. the March 1998 issue

4. How did the editors deal with the letters from the readers?

A. They put some letters in a big postbag for reference.

B. They published some letters in the co lumn “Postbag” and kept the rest for reference.

C. They looked up some information in the letters and then published a “Postbag”.

D. They did nothing but keep all the letters for reference.

C

Every weekday morning I take the 8:30 bus to go to my job. I know by sight several people who also fide that bus. Some of the girls work as maids. They get off at each stop in ones, twos or threes.

But at one corner something wonderful happens. Before the bus stops, a little dog races out of the nearest house. He doesn't look at two of the maids who get off. But for the third he has a joyful "Hello!". From head to tail his little body wags his happiness. Everyone on the bus watches until the maid and the dog go into the house.

One day not long ago the maid wasn't on the bus. I wondered if the dog would be waiting for her. Sure enough, he was!

He stood at the back door of the bus for a minute. I could see his joyful welcome turning into fearful worry. Where was she?

The driver closed the back door. The dog raced to the front door. It, too, shut in his face.

Everyone on the bus felt sad. Poor little pup! He looked so unhappy, standing there!

The driver couldn't stand it. He opened the door and looked down at the dog. "She didn't come today," he said, in a loud, kind voice.

A man in a front seat leaned forward. "Maybe she will come tomorrow," he called.

The dog wagged his tail as if to say "thank you." He watched the bus as we pulled away. Then he turned to trot home ── alone.

The next day everyone on the bus was happy to see the maid back again. Yes, the dog was waiting for her.

The welcome he gave her was even warmer and more delighted than usual. We all smiled at one another. How bright and good the morning suddenly seemed to us!

1. What do the people on the bus usually see at one corner?

A. A little dog coming close to the bus when it stops.

B. Two maids get off the moment the bus stops.

C. A dog waiting for someone.

D. A dog greets a maid merrily and follow her into a house.

2. One day the maid wasn't on the bus and the dog ___.

A. didn't appear

B. stood waiting at the bus stop till the bus left

C. raced about looking for the maid

D. went back the moment he found the maid wasn't there

3. All this made people on the bus ___.

A. awfully sorry

B. greatly surprised

C. very bored

D. much exited

4. The next day people on the bus were happy, for ___.

A. the maid was among them again

B. she would not take the same bus

C. she was not on their bus

D. she was waiting for an empty bus to come

5. We can safely say this story is about ___.

A. a magic dog

B. a young maid that has magic powers

C. a bus that can produce magical results

D. the close relationship between a maid and her dog

D

What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person a genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live? These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear.

We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways, the

mind is like a leg or an arm muscle. It needs exercise. Mental (done with the mind) exercise is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologists (心理学家) think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent. If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.

Parents should also be careful with what they say to young children. According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot, then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive (helpful) things to their children, such as “That was a very clever thing you did.” or “You are such a smart child.”

1. The words “intelligent” and “brilliant” in the first paragraph probably mean _______ while “dull” in the second paragraph means ________.

A. bright and splendid; slow in thinking and understanding

B. pretty and handsome; ordinary-looking

C. great and important; common

D. hopeful and helpful; careless

2. According to the context we can guess that a genius is ________ while an idiot is ________.

A. a normal person; a funny person

B. a strong person; a weak person

C. a highly intelligent person; a foolish or weak-minded person

D. a famous person; an ordinary person

3. A person ________ is more likely to become a genius.

A. whose parents are clever

B. often thinking about difficult problems

C. often helped by his parents and teachers

D. born with a good brain and putting it into active use

4. It is better for parents ________.

A. to praise and encourage their children more often

B. to be hard on their children

C. to leave their children alone with nothing to do

D. to give their children as much help as possible

5. Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?

A. Parents play an important part in their children’s growth.

B. The less you use your mind the duller you may become.

C. Intelligence is obviously the result of where and how you live.

D. What makes a person bright or stupid is still under discussion.

A

KEY: 1-4 C B D C

B

KEY: 1－4 C A D B

C

KEY: 1. D 2. C 3. A 4. A 5. D

D

Keys: 1. A 2. C 3. D 4. A 5. C