1、第三册读写课程阅读训练考试时间： 150 分钟满分： 100 分Reading Comprehension (Each item: 2) Directions:Read the following passage(s) carefully and do the multiple-choice questions. Questions 1 to 5 are based on the same passage or dialog. In the summer of 1978 an English farmer named Ian Stevens was driving his tractor th
2、rough a field of wheat when he discovered something strange. Some of his wheat was lying flat on the ground. The flattened （被压平的） wheat formed a circle about six meters across. Around this circle were four smaller circles of flattened wheat. In the following years more and more similar circles were
3、found in a field of wheat or corn. So people cannot help but ask the question: What causes the circles? At first, people suspected that the circles were a trick. To prove that the circles were a trick, people tried to copy them: they tried to make circles exactly like the ones the farmers had found.
4、 They couldnt do it. They couldnt enter a field of grain without leaving tracks, and they couldnt flatten the grain without breaking it. The circles are apparently not a trick. Many people believe that beings from outer space are making the circles. Some think that the beings are trying to communica
5、te with us from far away and that the circles are messages from them. Others believe that the beings have actually landed on earth and that the circles are marks left by their spaceships. Several times people reported seeing strange flying objects near fields where circles later appeared. Scientists
6、 say theyre not sure what causes them. They have suggested several theories. For example, some scientists say that “microbursts” of wind created the circles. A microburst is a downward rush of cool air the same downward rush of air that sometimes causes an airplane to crash. Others scientists say th
7、at forces within the earth cause the circles to appear. But circles often appear in forms. It is hard to believe that any natural force could create those forms. And recently farmers have discovered not only circles but also other shapes such as triangles in their fields. Could any natural force cre
8、ated a perfect triangle in a field of grain? In the summer of 1990 some scientists spent three weeks in the part of England where many circles have appeared. They had all the latest high-tech equipment. This equipment worth 1.8 million dollars recorded nothing. But one night, as the scientists were
9、watching a field, circles formed in the field behind them. These circles are shown in the photograph. The scientists had neither seen nor heard anything. (396 words) 1. What causes the circles? A. Teenagers. B. Farmers. C. Flying objects. D. None of the above. 2. The thing that proves that the circl
10、es were not a trick is that _. A. two men said they made the circles themselves B. farmers were making the circles to attract tourists C. people cannot copy the circles without leaving marks or breaking the grain D. scientists suggest theories that support the idea that circles were made by natural
11、forces 3. The circles mean _. A. that beings from outer space are trying to communicate with human beings B. that beings from outer space have visited the earth C. that there do exist strange flying objects D. none of the above 4. The only thing for the scientists to be happy about in the summer of
12、1990 is possibly _. A. that they discovered how the circles were made B. that they saw the circles with the help of the latest high-tech equipment C. that they were able to show the circles in a photograph D. none of the above 5. A proper title for this passage is _. A. An Unsolved Mystery B. Strang
13、e Flying Objects C. The Power of Natural Forces D. The Discovery of Strange Circles Questions 6 to 10 are based on the same passage or dialog. He had uncombed hair, dirty clothes, and only 35 cents in his pocket. In Baltimore, Maryland, he got on a bus and headed straight for the restroom. He though
14、t that if he hid in the restroom, he could ride to New York without paying. But a passenger at the back of the bus saw him. She tapped the person in front of her on the shoulder and said, “Theres a bum（乞丐）in the restroom. Tell the bus driver.“ That passenger tapped the person sitting in front of him
15、. “Tell the bus driver theres a bum in the restroom,“ he said. The message was passed from person to person until it reached the front of the bus. But somewhere along the way, the message changed. By the time it reached the bus driver, it was not “Theres a bum in the restroom“ but “theres a bomb in
16、the restroom.“ The driver immediately pulled over to the side of the highway and radioed the police. When the police arrived, they told the passengers to get off the bus and stay far way. Then they closed the highway. That soon caused a 15-mile-long traffic jam. With the help of a dog, the police se
17、arched the bus for two hours. Of course, they found no bomb. Two similar-sounding English words also caused trouble for a man who wanted to fly from Los Angeles to Oakland, California. His problems began at the Los Angeles airport. He thought he heard his flight announced, so he walked to the gate,
18、showed his ticket, and got on the plane. Twenty minutes after takeoff, the man began to worry. Oakland was north of Los Angeles, but the plane seemed to be heading west, and when he looked out his window all he could see was ocean. “Is this plane going to Oakland?“ he asked the flight attendant （服务员
19、）. The flight attendant was shocked. “No,“ she said. “Were going to Auckland Auckland, New Zealand.“ When a Korean woman who lives in the United States arrived at work one morning, her boss asked her, “Did you get a plate?“ “No . “ she answered, wondering what in the world he meant. She worked in an
20、 office. Why did the boss ask her about a plate? At five oclock, when she was getting ready to go home, her boss said, “Please be on time tomorrow. You were 15 minutes late this morning.“ “Sorry,“ she said. “My car wouldnt start, and .“ Suddenly she understood. Her boss hadnt asked her, “Did you get
21、 a plate?“ He had asked, “Did you get up late?“ English is not the only language with similar-sounding words. Other languages, too, have words that can cause misunderstandings, especially for foreigners. Auckland and Oakland. “A plate“ and “up late“. When similar-sounding words cause a misunderstand
22、ing, probably the best thing to do is just laugh and learn from the mistake. Of course, sometimes its hard to laugh. The man who traveled to Auckland instead of Oakland didnt feel like laughing. But even that misunderstanding turned out all right in the end. The airline paid for the mans hotel room
23、and meals in New Zealand and for his flight back to California. “Oh well,“ the man later said, “I always wanted to see New Zealand.“ (542 words) 6. The 15-mile-long traffic jam was originally caused by _. A. the woman who tapped the person in front of her B. the driver who radioed the police C. the
24、police who blocked the road D. the change of the message from “there is a bum“ to “there is a bomb“ 7. Before he knew it, the man arrived in _. A. Oakland B. Auckland C. Los Angeles D. California 8. The word “plate“ (Para.6) is more possibly associated with work in _. A. an office B. a workshop C. a
25、 restaurant D. a shop 9. The sentence “Oh well, I always wanted to see New Zealand.“ reflects _. A. the mans sense of humor B. the mans frustration C. the mans disappointment D. the mans despair 10. According to the passage one proper way to deal with a misunderstanding caused by similar-sounding wo
26、rds is _. A. to have a sharp ear B. to learn a good pronunciation C. to speak clearly and slowly D. to laugh and learn from it Questions 11 to 15 are based on the same passage or dialog. Yinlan looked at the people sitting around the table and smiled with satisfaction. Everyone in her family was the
27、re her children, her grandchildren, and her new great-grandson, just one month old. Her whole family had come to celebrate the Harvest Moon Festival (节日 ). Yinlan had grown up in China, but she and her family now lived in San Francisco, California. Although they lived in the United States, Yinlans f
28、amily celebrated the Harvest Moon Festival just as Yinlan had in China. Then, if the sky was clear, they always walked outside to admire the full moon. Tonight there was not a cloud in the sky, and the full moon shone brightly. Yinlan suggested that they all go outside. Her grandson helped her up fr
29、om her chair. As Yinlan and her grandson walked toward the door, she held on to his arm and leaned against him for support. Yinlan was 86 years old. She had not been well the past few months, and her family noticed that she seemed weak. Two days after the Harvest Moon Festival, Yinlan died peacefull
30、y in her sleep. Her family was sad but at the same time grateful. They felt happy that they had been able to celebrate the Harvest Moon Festival with her one last time. Everyone said it was remarkable that Yinlan had died just two days after the holiday. Actually, the timing of Yinlans death was not
31、 remarkable at all. Recently sociologists（社会学家）studied the death rate among elderly Chinese women in California. They discovered that the death rate drops 35 percent before the Harvest Moon Festival and then rises 35 percent. Sociologists believe that these changes in death rate show the minds power
32、 over the body. The Harvest Moon Festival, when families gather, is important to elderly Chinese women. Apparently some women are able to postpone（推迟）their deaths so that they can celebrate the festival one last time. Sociologists also studied the death rate of elderly Jewish men around the time of
33、Passover, a Jewish holiday. They discovered the same phenomenon. Passover is a Jewish religious holiday that is a family holiday as well. On the first two days of Passover, families gather in their homes for a ceremony（仪式）. It is an important event for elderly Jewish men so important that some men p
34、ostpone their deaths until after Passover. The idea that people can postpone the time of their deaths is not new. Many families tell stories of a relative who held on to life until after an important event. They tell of grandmother who died after the birth of a grandchild, a grandfather who died aft
35、er his 92nd birthday party. The stories people tell, however, are just that: stories. They are not proof that people can postpone their deaths. The sociologists work is important because the sociologists studied facts, not stories. The facts the drop and rise in death rates prove that people really
36、can postpone their deaths. One famous person who may have postponed his death as Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, one of the most important U.S. documents. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. Thomas Jefferson died exactly 50 years late
37、r, on July 4, 1826. He died after asking his doctor, “Is it the Fourth?“ Historians have always thought that Jeffersons death on the Fourth of July was a remarkable coincidence（巧合）. It now seems quite possible that the timing of Jeffersons death was no coincidence at all. (574 words) 11. The story o
38、f Yinlan and her family indicates that _. A. the Chinese Harvest Moon Festival is good enough to postpone death B. significant events can postpone death C. the mind is stronger than the body D. good mood can postpone death 12. The Jewish holiday Passover is similar to the Chinese Harvest Moon Festiv
39、al in the sense that _. A. both of them can postpone death B. both of them take place at the same time C. both of them are a religious holiday D. both of them are a family holiday 13. Thomas Jeffersons death on July the 4th was probably timed by _. A. his doctor B. the Declaration of Independence C.
40、 one famous person D. himself 14. Which of the following is true? A. The Jewish holiday Passover can only postpone the deaths of elderly women. B. The Chinese Harvest Moon Festival can only postpone the deaths of old men. C. It is facts not stories that prove people can postpone their deaths. D. Fam
41、ily holidays of all kinds can postpone the deaths of old people. 15. A proper title for this passage is _. A. Saving the Old with a Family Holiday B. Postponing Death C. More Family Holidays, More Happiness D. What a Coincidence Questions 16 to 20 are based on the same passage or dialog. In the earl
42、y days of sea travel, seamen lived entirely on salted meat and biscuits. Many of them died of scurvy (坏血病 ), a disease of the blood which causes swollen gums, pale white spots on the flesh and general exhaustion. On one occasion, in 1535, an English ship arrived in Newfoundland with its crew serious
43、ly ill. The mens lives were saved by Iroquois Indians who gave them vegetable leaves to eat. Gradually it came to be realized that scurvy was caused by some lack in the sailors diet and Captain Cook, who was to discover Australia and New Zealand, established the fact the scurvy could be avoided by p
44、rovision of fresh fruit for the sailors. Nowadays it is understood that a diet which contains nothing harmful may yet result in serious disease if certain important elements are missing. These elements are called vitamins. Quite a number of such substances are known and they are given letters to ide
45、ntify them, A, B, C, D, and so on. Different diseases are associated with deficiencies of particular vitamins. Even a slight lack of Vitamin C, for example, the vitamin most plentiful in fresh fruit and vegetables, is thought to increase significantly our possibility of getting bad colds. The vitami
46、ns necessary for a health body are normally supplied by a good mixed diet, including a variety of fruit and green vegetables. It is only when people try to live on a very restricted diet, say during extended periods of religious fasting (禁食), or when trying to lose weight, that it is necessary to ma
47、ke special provision to supply the missing vitamins. 16. Scurvy is a disease which causes _. A. loss of blood B. swollen limbs C. exhaustion D. bright red spots on the flesh 17. A diet which contains nothing harmful _. A. may yet cause scurvy B. has plenty of vitamins C. will usually result in serio
48、us disease D. always ensures good health 18. Deficiencies of the various vitamins _. A. cause identical diseases B. are not serious except in the case of vitamin C C. cause different diseases D. are often caused by scurvy 19. Fresh fruit and vegetables _. A. contain more vitamin C than any other food B. decrease our resistance to colds C. contain every kind of vitamin D. increase our possibility of getting bad colds 20. A good mixed diet _. A. normally contains enough vitamins B. still needs supplementing with vitamins C. is suitable for religious fas
