高三英语阅读理解精选1

阅读理解精选①

Reading comprehension

Read the following passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished of them there are four choices marked A， B，C and D．Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read．

（A）

Polly Jones lived on a farm．She had lived there all her life，all twelve years of it． Her father，who managed the farm，had just lifted the potato crop．Prices were high；he wanted to sell the crop as quickly as he could．

Polly wandered（漫步，徘徊） over the rough（粗糙的） field looking for the smaller potatoes that the pickers had accidentally missed．She found one，then another，then a handful．She was pleased．They were delicious once cooked． Then she caught sight of something else．It looked like a piece of coloured stone．Polly picked it up and thought how pretty it was． She could see a pattern on it：a picture of a fish and a part of a leaf．She scraped（擦去） the soil away around her feet and found that she was standing on what seemed to be a piece of pavement（铺路石）．Stuck to another piece of stone was something small and round like a button．She realized it was an old coin．

The field was busy the next morning though not with potato pickers．In front of the house where the farm machinery usually stood were several cars and a police van．A group of distinguished-looking men and women had appeared the morning after her father's telephone call．The local television station had shown some pictures of the field with Polly pointing to the place where she had found her pavement．It was proving to be of Roman origin and was being described as the most exciting thing that had happened in the area since the end of the Second World War．In those days an American airbase had occupied the site of the potato field．

A week later about forty students arrived from the local university．That afternoon a truck with equipment arrived．The excavation（挖掘）was officially under way．Permission had been given and the“dig”， as it was called，was expected to last several months．Polly wondered how the everyday work of the farm would get done with so many strange people around and cars coming and going all day long．All the unusual activity had made the cows and sheep restless．Her father said their cows produced less milk．

Still，it was interesting and great fun．They had let her keep the gold coin．

From then on，Polly would always walk carefully over potato fields．

1．There were still potatoes in the field because the pickers _____ ．

A．had left them for Polly on purpose B．thought they were too small

C．would pick them later D．had failed to notice them

2．When Polly was looking for potatoes，_____ caught her attention first．

A．a part of a leaf B．an old coin C．a piece of pavement D．a button

3．Why did the findings cause great excitement？

A．Because the coin was priceless． B．Because an ancient Roman site was discovered．C．Because few old coins had been found since the War．

D．Because such old coins had been found in American airbases．

4．How did the“dig”affect the life on the farm？

A．It reduced milk production． B．It prevented Polly from attending class．

C．It attracted more farmers to the potato fields．

D．It brought the farmers wealth overnight．

（B）

Answer the following questions by using the four job advertisements A—D from a newspaper．（You may read the questions first．）

A

Restaurant

Supervisor

Waiting Staff

Telephonist（话务员）

The ideal candidates（侯选人） must have relevant（有关的，相应的） experiences gained in a high quality hotel． Please call Personnel on 071-722-7722，or send your CV to：Regents Park Hilton，

Lodge Road，London

NW87 JT

London

REGENTS PARK

Hilton

B

USE YOUR LANGUAGE AND EARN ￡450—￡1200 P．W．

We are one of the largest business publishers in Europe and have limited positions for intelligent（有才智的） young people in our London advertisement sales office．Enquiries （询问） from German，Spanish and Eastern European speakers especially welcome．Phone on 0717534300

C

BABY SITTER WANTED

For a 9 month old．

Artistic（艺术的）／Prof household（家庭，家族）

Notting Hill，3 days per week．

Some hours

Flexibility（适应性） required．

Knowledge

German ／French

advantage not essential（实质的，根本的）

0712217375

D

Planet Hollywood

London

Join the Stars！Food Servers

The biggest and busiest restaurant in London is seeking additional stars for its team of dedicated professionals．If you have experience in high volume restaurants and are looking for a challenge，then come on down for an audition(听力试听)．

Interview day is on Friday 6th May from 12 noon to 7p．m．

Planet Hollywood is located at 13 Coventry Street，London，W1

5．How many advertisements are for waiters？

A．One．B．Two． C．Three．D．Four．

6．According to advertisement B，we can learn that _____ ．

A．only German，Spanish and Eastern European speakers are needed

B．the job offers ￡450—￡1200 per month

C．the job is open to people of all ages

D．you may call to get more information about the job

7．In advertisement C，the baby sitter should _____ ．

A．have 9 months'working experience B．speak German or French

C．accept flexible working hours D．come from an artistic household

（C）

A characteristic（特征，特性） of American culture that has become almost a tradition （传统，惯例） is to respect the self-made man—the man who has risen to the top through his own efforts， usually beginning by working with his hands．While the leader in business or industry or the college professor occupies a higher social position and commands greater respect in the community than the common labourer or even the skilled factory worker， he may take pains to point out that his father started life in America as a farmer or labourer of some sort．

This attitude toward manual（体力的） labour is now still seen in many aspects of American life．One is invited to dinner at a home that is not only comfortably but even luxuriously （豪华地）furnished and in which there is every evidence of the fact that the family has been able to afford foreign travel， expensive hobbies，and college education for the children；yet the hostess probably will cook the dinner herself，will serve it herself and will wash dishes afterward，furthermore the dinner will not consist merely of something quickly and easily assembled from contents various cans and a cake or a pie bought at the nearby bakery．On the contrary，the hostess usually takes pride in careful preparation of special dishes．A professional man may talk about washing the car，digging in his flowerbeds，painting the house．His wife may even help with these things，just as he often helps her with the dishwashing．The son who is away at college may wait on table and wash dishes for his living，or during the summer he may work with a construction gang on a highway in order to pay for his education．

8．From Paragraph 1，we can know that in America _____ ．

A．people tend to have a high opinion of the self-made man

B．people can always rise to the top through their own efforts

C．college professors win great respect from common workers

D．people feel painful to mention their fathers as labourers

9．According to the passage，the hostess cooks dinner herself mainly because_____ ．A．servants in America are hard to get

B．she takes pride in what she can do herself

C．she can hardly afford servants D．it is easy to prepare a meal with canned food 10．The expression“wait on table”in the second paragraph means“_____ ”．

A．work in a furniture shop B．keep accounts for a bar

C．wait to lay the table D．serve customers in a restaurant

11．Which of the following may serve as the best title of the passage？

A．A Respectable Self-made Family B．American Attitude toward Manual Labour

C．Characteristics of American Culture D．The Development of Manual Labour

（D）

Scientists have identified a gene（基因） that plays a role in violence in men ill-treated in childhood．The discovery could explain why some survive（幸免于） unhappy childhoods and go on to normal lives，while others turn to violence，crime or antisocial behaviour．But it will also restart the argument about the influence of nature and nurture（后天培养）in criminal behaviour．

Terrie Moffitt and Avshalom Caspi report in Science today that one common form of a gene in the brain makes men more likely to be violent—but only if they have experienced cruelty （残忍，残酷） or rejection（拒绝，遗弃） in childhood．The researchers followed up the life histories of 442 boys born in New Zealand in 1972．Of these，154had been ill-treated in the first 10years，33of them severely． They had either experienced sexual attack， beatings or rejection by mother or stepparents．Of the 154children，55 had a less active variant（变异体）of a gene called MAOA，which controlled the balance of neurotransmitters（神经传递素）in the brain，and 99had the more active variant． The 55boys were more than twice as likely to have been involved in criminal behaviour than the other ill-treated group．They made up 12％of the total，but were responsible for 44％ of all crimes committed among the 442 boys．Prof．Moffitt stressed（强调）a“violence”gene had not been discovered．Boys with the less active form who were not ill-treated during childhood lived perfectly normal lives．“It is very common in the population．One third of us have it，”she said．“So the gene apparently （显然地） doesn't do much of anything，it doesn't cause an obstacle（障碍） in any way，unless we are also ill-treated．”

The gene might also indicate（指出，预示） the ability to endure mental stress．The military or the police might examine applicants to see if they have the more active form．But the discovery also raises the view of biology as fate，and the argument that people wit the less active form of the gene could be social risks（社会风险），to be treated with drugs．“This research can easily play into the tendency（倾向） to fit social problems through medical treatment，”said David King of the UK Gene Alert Group．

12．According to the passage，the less active variant of the gene _____ ．

A．will totally determine men's personality and behaviour

B．always leads to trouble-making feature

C．might be responsible for boys' criminal behaviour

D．plays no significant role in children's development

13．We can learn from the passage that those men who have stronger ability to endure mental stress usually _____ ．

A．have the more active variant of the gene B．have the less active variant of the gene C．had ill-treated childhood D．had no ill-treated childhood

14．According to the passage，which of the following is NOT true？

A．One third of the population carry the less active variant．

B．Boys with the less active variant will not live normal lives．

C．Some people disagree with the concept of“violence”gene（因子，基因）．

D．The less active variant and ill-treated experience contribute to violence．

15．David King's comment in the last paragraph implies that _____ ．

A．he agrees with the research findings of the gene MAOA

B．he criticizes strongly the possible role of the less active variant

C．he considers that the research is of no great importance

D．he thinks the findings oversimplify（过分单纯化） the solution（解决方法） to social problems。

（E）

Tristan da Cunha, a 38-square-mile island, is the farthest inhabited island in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records. It is 1 ,510 miles southwest of its nearest neighbor, St.Helena, and 1,950 miles west of Africa. Discovered by the Portuguese admiral（葡萄牙海军将）of the same name in 1506, and settled in 1810, the island belongs to Great Britain and has a population of a few hundred.

Coming in a close second - and often wrongly mentioned as the most distant land - is Easter Island, which lies 1,260 miles east of its nearest neighbor, Pitcaim Island, and 2,300 miles west of South America.

The mountainous 64-square-mile island was settled around the 5th century, supposedly by people who were lost at sea. They had no connection with the outside world for more than a thousand years, giving them plenty of time to build more than 1 ,000 huge stone figures, called moai, for which the island is most famous.

On Easter Sunday, 1722, however, settlers from Holland moved in and gave the island its name. Today, 2,000 people live on the Chilean territory (智利领土) ?They share one street, a small airport, and a few hours of television per day.

16. It can be learned from the text that the island of Tristan da Cunha _______.

A. was named after its discoverer

B. got its name from Holland settlers

C. was named by the British government

D. got its name from the Guinness Book of Records

17. Which of the following is most famous for moai?

A. Tristan da Cunha.

B. Pitcaim Island.

C. Easter Island.

D. St. Helena.

18. Which country does Easter Island belong to?

A. Britain.

B. Holland.

C. Portugal.

D. Chile.

（F）

Reading to dogs is an unusual way to help children improve their literacy skills （读写能力）With their shining brown eyes, wagging tails, and unconditional（无条件的） love, dogs can provide the nonjudgmental listeners needed for a beginning reader to gain confidence （自信心） , according to Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) in Salt Lake City. The group says it is the first program in the country to use dogs to help develop literacy in children, with the introduction of Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ).

The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea. "Literacy specialists admit that children who read below the level of their fellow pupils are often afraid of reading aloud in a group, often have lower self-respect, and regard reading as a headache," said Lisa Myron, manager of the children's department.

Last November the two groups started " Dog Day Afternoon" in the children' s department of the main library. About 25 children attended each of the four Saturday-afternoon classes, reading

for half an hour. Those who attended three of the four classes received a " pawgraphed" book at the last class.

The program was so successful that the library plans to repeat it in April, according to Dana Thumpowsky, public relations manager.

19. What is mainly discussed in the text?

A. Children' s reading difficulties.

B. Advantages of raising dogs.

C. Service in a public library.

D. A special reading program.

20. Specialists use dogs to listen to children reading because they think _______.

A. dogs are young children' s best friends

B. children can play with dogs while reading

C. dogs can provide encouragement for shy children

D. children and dogs understand each other

21. By saying "The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea" , the writer means the library_______.

A. uses dogs to attract children

B. accepts the idea put forward by ITA

C. has opened a children's department

D. has decided to train some dogs

22. A "pawgraphed" book is most probably _______.

A. a book used in Saturday classes

B. a book written by the children

C. a prize for the children

D. a gift from parents

（G）

Tales From Animal Hospital

David Grant

David Grant has become a familiar face to millions of fans of Animal Hospital. Here Dr Grant tells us the very best of his personal stories about the animals he has treated, including familiar patients such as the dogs Snowy and Duchess（公爵夫人）, the delightful cat Marigold Serendipity Diamond. He also takes the reader behind the scenes at Harmsworth Memorial Animal Hospital as he describes his day, from ordinary medical check-ups to surgery (外科手术) ? Tales From Animal Hospital will delight all fans of the programme and anyone who has a lively interest in their pet, whether it be cat, dog or snake!

$14.99 Hardback（硬封面的书） 272pp Simon Schuster

ISBN 0751304417

Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer（魔术师）

Michael White

From the author of Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science, comes this colourful description of the life of the world' s first modern scientist. Interesting yet based on fact, Michael White's learned yet readable new book offers a true picture of Newton completely different from what people commonly know about him. Newton is shown as a gifted scientist with very human weaknesses who stood at the point in history where magic (魔术) ended and science began.

￡8.99 Hardback 320pp Fourth Estate

ISBN 1857024168

Fermat' s Last Theorem

Simon Singh

In 1963 a schoolboy called Andrew Wiles reading in his school library came across the world' s greatest mathematical problem: Fermat's Last Theorem (定理) ?First put forward by the French

mathematician Pierre de Fermat in the seventeenth century, the theorem had baffled（困惑，阻碍） and beaten the finest mathematical minds, including a French woman scientist who made a major advance in working out the problem, and who had to dress like a man in order to be able to study at the Ecole Polytechnique. Through unbelievable determination Andrew Wiles finally worked out the problem in 1995.An unusual story of human effort over three centuries, Fermat' Last Theorem will delight specialists and general readers alike.

￡12.99 Hardback 384 pp Fourth Estate

ISBN 1857025210

23. What is Animal Hospital^

A. A news story.

B. A popular book.

C. A research report.

D. A TV programme.

24. In Michael White' s book, Newton is described as _______.

A. a person who did not look the same as in many pictures

B. a person who lived a colourful and meaningful life

C. a great but not perfect man

D. an old-time magician

25. Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word "baffle" as it is used in the text?

A. To encourage people to raise questions.

B. To cause difficulty in understanding.

C. To provide a person with an explanation.

D. To limit people' s imagination.

26. The person who finally proved Fermat's Last Theorem is _______.

A. Simon Singh

B. Andrew Wiles

C. Pierre de Fermat

D. a French woman scientist .

27. What is the purpose of writing these three texts?

A. To make the books easier to read.

B. To show the importance of science.

C. To introduce new authors.

D. To sell the books.

（H）

There is one foreign product the Japanese are buying faster than others, and its popularity has caused an uneasy feeling among many Japanese.

That product is foreign words.

Cairaigo - words that come from outside - have been part of the Japanese language for centuries. Mostly borrowed from English and Chinese, these terms are often changed into forms no longer understood by native speakers.

But in the last few years the trickle (涓涓流水) of foreign words has become a flood, and people fear the increasing use of foreign words is making it hard for the Japanese to understand each other and could lead to many people forgetting the good qualities of traditional (传统的) Japanese. " The popularity of foreign words is part of the Japanese interest in anything new," says university lecturer and writer Takashi Saito. "By using a foreign word you can make a subject seem new,which makes it easier for the media(媒体) to pick up.

“Experts (专家) often study abroad and use English terms when they speak with people in their own fields. Those terms are then included in government white papery,” said Muturo Kai, president of the National Language Research Institute." Foreign words find their way easily into announcements made to the general public, when they should really be explained in Japanese. "

Against the flow of new words, many Japanese are turning back to the study of their own language. Saito's Japanese to Be Read Aloud is one of many language books that are now flying off booksellers' shelves.

"We were expecting to sell the books to young people," said the writer," but it turns out they are

more popular with the older generation, who seem uneasy about the future of Japanese. "

28. What advantages do foreign words have over traditional Japanese terms?

A. The ideas expressed in foreign words sound new.

B. Foreign words are best suited for announcements.

C. Foreign words make new subjects easier to understand.

D. The use of foreign words makes the media more popular.

29. In the opinion of Takashi Saito, Japanese people _______.

A. are good at learning foreign languages

B. arc willing to learn about new things

C. trust the media

D. respect experts

30. Which of the following plays an important part in the spread of foreign words?

A. The media and government papers.

B. Best-selling Japanese textbooks.

C. The interest of young Japanese.

D. Foreign products and experts.

31. The book Japanese to Be Read Aloud _______.

A. sells very well in Japan

B. is supported by the government

C. is questioned by the old generation

D. causes misunderstanding among the readers

（I）

At one time, computers were expected largely to remove the need for paper copies of documents (文件) because they could be stored electronically. But for all the texts that are written, stored and sent electronically, a lot of them are still ending up on paper.

It is difficult to measure the quantity of paper used as a result of use of Internet-connected computers , although just about anyone who works in an office can tell you that when e-mail is introduced, the printers start working overtime. "I feel in my bones this revolution is causing more trees to be cut down," says Ted Smith of the Earth Village Organization.

Perhaps the best sign of how computer and Internet use pushes up demand for paper comes from the high-tech industry itself, which sees printing as one of its most promising new markets. Several Internet companies have been set up to help small businesses print quality documents from a computer. Earlier this week Hewlett-Packard Co. announced a plan to develop new technologies that will enable people to print even more so they can get a hard copy of a business document, a medical record or just a one-line e-mail, even if they are nowhere near a computer. As the company sees it,the more use of the Internet the greater demand for printers.

Does all this mean environmental concerns (环境问题) have been forgotten? Some activists suggest people have been led to believe that a lot of dangers to the environment have gone away. " I guess people believe that the problem is taken care of, because of recycling (回收利用) ?" said Kelly Quirke, director of the Rainforest Action Network in San Francisco. Yet Quirke is hopeful that high-tech may also prove helpful. He says printers that print on both sides are growing in popularity.The action group has also found acceptable paper made from materials other than wood, such as agricultural waste.

32. The growing demand for paper in recent years is largely due to ________.

A. the rapid development of small businesses

B. the opening up of new markets

C. the printing of high quality copies

D. the increased use of the Internet

33. Environmentalists believe one possible way of dealing with the paper situation is ____.

A. to encourage printing more quality documents

B. to develop new printers using recycled paper

C. to find new materials for making paper

D. to plant more fast-growing trees

34. Hewlett-Packard Co. has decided to develop new technologies because _______.

A. people are concerned about the environment

B. printers in many offices are working overtime

C. small companies need more hard copies

D. they see a growing market for printers

35. What would be the best title for the text?

A. Computers and Printers

B. E-mail and the Business World

C. Internet Revolution and Environment

D. Modern Technology and New Markets